


Time will tell

by Amehi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha Kageyama Tobio, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Anal Sex, Courting Rituals, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Living Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Hinata Shouyou/Original Character, Minor Injuries, Minor Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Minor Original Character(s), Minor Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Mpreg, Omega Hinata Shouyou, Omega Verse, Pining Hinata Shouyou, Pining Kageyama Tobio, Pro Volleyball Player Hinata Shouyou, Pro Volleyball Player Kageyama Tobio, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Team as Family, University Student Hinata Shouyou, University Student Kageyama Tobio, Volleyball Dorks in Love, long fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:02:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 63,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21907912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amehi/pseuds/Amehi
Summary: “Kageyama was a home, he had once concluded.He wasn’t just a home. He was the warm welcome, he was the heartfelt embrace and the awaiting eyes. The reason to come back.”Or the story of how Hinata, as the years went by, learned how to deal with his secondary gender; with his personal image, confidence and maturing; with adulthood, living far from home and trying to be responsible; with university; with a professional volleyball career; with relationships going wrong; and with the love he felt for Kageyama, which changed, but never ceased to be his safe place.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 315
Kudos: 638





	1. When I met you

**Author's Note:**

> This story was begun in February 2018, so it's full of my guesses about the future of Hinata in Haikyuu, and those have almost nothing to do with the canon. Turns out I'm not very good at predictions UHASUAHS.  
> It was writen out of my uncondicional love for omegaverse, which should be more popular, and slice of life, so we'll have a lot of domestic fluff here :) I love this story very much, although I can't promise it will be perfect or anything. I hope more people come to like it like I do, though :)
> 
> That being said, enjoy!

When Hinata and Kageyama met, neither of them had a secondary gender yet.

The setter was just some gruff tall player that seemed incapable of minding his own business. At the same time, he was the barrier that motivated Hinata, the first rival he could find in his still short journey in volleyball.

At the time, he told the dark-haired unknown boy that he would surpass him someday and left it as a promise between the two.

The second time they met, two things were clearly different about Kageyama Tobio.

First: he seemed to have lost a bit of his self-assurance, though Hinata just noticed it a long time after meeting him.

Second: he had this strange woody smell lingering around him that would get even more intense after training.

Hinata was no idiot, so he knew he had presented as an alpha in the time between their meetings. He couldn’t ask him, because it was considered impolite to ask or to talk about someone else’s dynamics, but it was obvious by the strong woody smell he had. It was no surprise, in fact, because his body type and personality screamed alpha in every possible way, since alphas were stronger and taller and usually had more arrogant personalities. Honestly, the surprise would be if he had turned out anything different.

And Hinata… He was just Hinata. No gender involved.

After the end of their first year, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t present as an alpha. It was getting late, and alphas presented early. Hinata was almost sure he would be either a beta or an omega, though he secretly wished to be a beta — omegas were just too much trouble. But it was not like that it would change anything that much; he was so focused on volleyball that only a small part of his conscience was worried about secondary genders.

As the year passed, Hinata could perceive Kageyama regaining his self-assurance and turning into a teammate that would listen to his comrades and do his best for the unity of the team, and not just for himself. He also softened around their friends, getting flustered when they provoked him about being socially inept.

These were other sides of Kageyama that he hadn’t seen in middle school and he was glad he could see now. They ate together after practice, walked together, practiced together in the morning and afternoon, went to the sport’s shop and purchased more items than they needed, laughed… They would usually sit together on the bus. They sat together the first time they had a training camp in Tokyo and when they went to the Nationals in the winter of their first year.

They also shared a room during the Nationals, Hinata having his stuff thrown on his face whenever Kageyama was ill-tempered. They watched Nekoma playing side by side and they ate beside each other at night, at their hotel. One would expect him to get tired of the setter by the end of two or less days, but Hinata wasn’t uncomfortable at all, much to his surprise.

It was only natural to be around Kageyama. They talked about the games, and about the food, and about their expectations, and once they were tired, they would just keep silent. Hinata would lay on his _futon_ at night, eyes glued to the ceiling, and hear his setter’s slow breathing, as if a soothing chant leading him to sleep.

They were beside each other when they lost in the quarter finals as well.

Kageyama’s breathing was as fast as his, both beyond words and heartbroken by their loss. Differently from the last time, in which they had a fight right after the game, this time they both just stayed silent, but beside each other.

Beside each other on the bench, beside each other at the dining table, beside each other inside their room, sorting their stuff for the trip back. When both were kneeling, the sound of zippers and clothes moving was the only thing filling the room, and then a little sob, Hinata’s sob, accompanying it.

“Next year,” Hinata said, the words burning his throat like venom, strong and intoxicating and leaving desperate sobs behind. “Next year, we’ll take that trophy back.”

“Hm,” was all Kageyama said in return.

They sat beside each other on their trip back, the bus mournfully silent and dark. The only source of light during the way back were the light poles outside the windows, and Hinata’s eyes followed each absentmindedly, occasionally staring at Kageyama’s shoulder next to his face. They were going back, and Kageyama hadn’t said a word, but his scent, his woody discreet scent, was so sad that it almost screamed his pain out.

It hurt Hinata, but at the time he wasn’t sure if it was his nose or his heart that was aching.

After that, the winter ended, and so did their first year in high school, and the last year of Daichi, Asahi, Sugawara and Shimizu. Their parting was really sad, sadder than losing the Nationals, and Hinata cried his eyes out during the whole goodbye party they threw at the gymnasium on the day of their graduation ceremony. Daichi and Sugawara expressed their wishes of continuing to play volleyball in the university, and Asahi told them he would join some local team to train. They would face each other in the future, as rivals, was the promise they made.

In their second year, Hinata and Kageyama were sorted in the same class.

Tsukishima told them later that the teachers had separated the classes by exam performances, so it was only natural that the stupid combo would be sorted together. Kageyama and Hinata were fuming at that, but Hinata decided to ignore the — very probable — possibility. It was just good to have Kageyama in the same class, it would be easier to invite him to practice during lunch and they could go to the gym together after the classes as well.

They sat away from each other in the first seat lottery, but the teachers didn’t like the positions very much and made another draw after two weeks, in which they started seating side by side.

It was fun. Hinata could tease Kageyama about not paying attention to the class — not that _he_ did pay that much attention either —, and they could talk between the classes. Hinata noticed right away that Kageyama ate all alone, so he started having lunch with his setter, occasionally being joined by some of his friends. In the beginning, the dark-haired alpha would complain that Hinata bothered him too much, but eventually he stopped and just let the middle blocker be.

The most stunning part about sitting by each other, in Hinata’s opinion, was the scent.

Kageyama’s scent, that he would feel clearly after practice when they changed, the scent that engulfed him when they shared rooms in the Nationals and training trips, he could feel this scent by his side all day.

Every single day.

It was soothing in some way, and being this close only made him more conscious about Kageyama’s condition.

He was an alpha.

But Hinata had never seen him looking for a mate, something that was so common among the high schoolers.

One day, in the middle of spring, Hinata questioned him about it.

“Why would I?” Kageyama asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly, as if Hinata was the strange one for reaching such conclusions. “I have my hands full with volleyball, and I don’t want to have to spend time in anything else.”

It was late, and they both were walking back to their homes. The sky was dark and Kageyama’s face was illuminated by the public light while they walked slowly. Hinata had his hands busy with his bike, so he couldn’t shake his setter back to his right mind.

“Well,” he said, pouting while averting his gaze to the floor, “because it’s only natural to worry about mates and stuff? Everyone wants to find a mate in the future.”

“The future is the future, I can think about it when it comes to it,” Kageyama replied, reaching a hand to Hinata’s shoulder abruptly. “Why are you asking anyway? I thought you didn’t care about those things.”

Hinata frowned, looking at him again. Kageyama’s eyes seemed black in the night, instead of their clear blue hue, and they were all the more intense with his brows furrowing over them.

“O’ course I care about it. I care more about volleyball, but…” he averted his gaze again, breathing that enigmatic woody smell that lingered on his shoulder with the setter’s hand. “I think it would be nice. To have a mate, I mean. I think about it.”

“Hm…” Kageyama took his hand back, placing it in the pocket of his jersey solemnly. Hinata twitched his lips, working on keeping his eyes on the way ahead of them instead of on the alpha, whose smell just didn’t stop surrounding them.

“You’re so lucky,” the ginger said after some seconds. “You’re an alpha. Cool and strong and over the top. It’s just perfect for volleyball. I wish I could be an alpha too.”

“It’s not that cool,” he stated, his voice exasperated, and then started complaining about all the trouble it gave him and how much he wished he could just be a simple beta. “This smell that doesn’t stop no matter what I do is really sickening,” he told Hinata. Not that Hinata agreed, he kind of liked that smell of Kageyama’s.

Oops. _What_ was he thinking about?

“And the ruts just get in the way of _everything_. I wish I could take suppressants already; I hate to have to miss practice because of that,” he told the ginger, and, in the middle the speech, his hands got out of his pockets and were just everywhere while he spoke.

“Oh, c’mon, it can’t be that bad.”

Hinata took back his words exactly four months later, close to the end of their summer vacation, when he finally presented.

Well, by this age he could either wish to be a beta or an omega, but he secretly prayed he was a beta. Omegas were just too much trouble and came with bad side effects.

Apparently, nature wasn’t on his side this time.

It was hot and this day they had training and a trip scheduled for the last week of their vacation. Everyone was excited, and the new captain, Ennoshita, kept a close eye on their problematic first-years.

Hinata felt really hot, but it was natural, summer was hot. His skin was also itching, maybe because of the heat. He kept on drinking from his water bottle and filling it again, to the point Tanaka asked him if he was feeling well.

He told him he was just fine, but actually he wasn’t sure.

Well, he wasn’t sure in the morning. When the end of the afternoon came, Hinata was _sure_ something was terribly wrong.

Mostly because his whole system felt somewhat strange, his belly was not normal, and he had no idea what the problem could be. His vision was a little bit blurry, but his other senses felt perfectly fine. He could hear very well, taste very well and, though his skin was itching, he could feel just fine.

The smell, on the other hand, was amplified. Almost _intoxicating_.

He could smell everything, from the grass wet after a brief summer rain to the smell of the volleyball in his hands when he would serve, to the spice of the other’s food during lunch, to Kageyama’s scent. His woody, comfortable, soothing scent, that this time felt less soothing and spicier and musky and…

Something was wrong.

Kageyama kept giving him side glances from time to time, silently evaluating him for some reason. Maybe he had noticed Hinata was feeling sick? Whenever their eyes met, he would just frown and turn away. They barely spoke during the whole day, but they sat together during lunch, eating silently with their shoulders brushing from time to time.

The first actual words they shared were when they were parting ways that night and Hinata waved him goodbye, but the alpha reached and grabbed his arm midair, the dark eyes big like saucers, and the hair shining with the artificial light behind him.

His hair seemed silky. His skin seemed smooth and Hinata wanted to reach both palms to cup his face and feel the warmth of the alpha’s breath against the skin. To test the skin with his lips and discover what the wood of his scent tasted like.

“You shouldn’t go home alone,” Kageyama said plainly, his eyes intense, and soon after he let Hinata’s wrist go, proceeding in the direction of the road to the mountain, Hinata’s home.

“Uh?” the middle blocker blurted, momentarily struck by the affirmative. He was too unfocused, or, to say the truth, too focused on unimportant details, like Kageyama’s _heat_.

Heat.

_Heat._

Oh, god.

It hit him like a bus when Kageyama left him home and he craved that smell and that brief touch they had shared. Hinata was already panting when they reached his home, and not because of the pace to go there. While they waited for his mother to open the door, Kageyama turned to him, his posture all stiff, maintaining a two meters distance from the ginger. He eyed him somewhat alert, the eyes still so, so big, and all Hinata could think of was the way he felt so hot and how Kageyama was pretty.

They shared a really awkward moment before his mother opened the door, screaming his name in surprise when she noticed the way he looked, or worse, the way he _smelled_. Kageyama was gone without more words, apparently concentrating his self-control in leaving an omega in heat behind, and Hinata fell over his blankets, hot and wishing he could change it, though of course he couldn’t.

He was sixteen when he presented as an omega.


	2. When we graduated from high school

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata turned to look at the setter questioningly, both lying on the grass. His face was all dark, the expression enigmatic and the eyes glued to the night ceiling over them as if he could really see stars there.
> 
> “I thought that volleyball was all about getting better and better and loving this feeling of improving, but back then all I could see were my own feelings,” Kageyama murmured again, probably referring to their junior high. “Then I entered Karasuno and started perceiving the other players. And your improvement has been my improvement. We’re a unity.”
> 
> “Oh,” Hinata blurted, expecting him to blush at the comments, because he was always so awkward about everything regarding their team feelings, but, if Kageyama blushed, he couldn’t see in the dark. “It’s like a home,” he said in return, and it wasn’t a lie. Their team was a home. Kageyama was a home.

He had heard that heats involved a lot of strange sensations. In the words of his middle school teacher, he would feel hot and would have difficulties to eat and to drink because of an upset stomach. Omegas’ bodies, according to her, were focused on procreation, and would react badly if they didn’t get what they wanted, something involving pain.

When he talked to some of his omega friends, the only responses he obtained were pained expressions and advice involving embarrassing stuff. Honestly speaking, as a teenager boy, he was interested in such stuff, but obviously he didn’t use the advice on his first heat because, god, he was truly _not expecting to have a heat at all._

It was terrible, he was stuck in that for five days and had to visit the hospital afterwards because he was dehydrated. Everything hurt, but, most than anything else, his conscience. He had been wishing not to be an omega ever since he had actually understood what an omega was, and now, ironically, he was one!

He would need some time to get used to the idea, but it didn’t change things that much… He would continue to be small and weak compared to other volley players, but he was already used to it. Omegas weren’t treated very differently, so all he would need to worry about were possible courting partners that could come up now that he had a secondary gender, and the heats every four months.

Because of his heat, he missed the training camp, so he had a while to think about it, and, when he saw Kageyama again, the classes were back in full force.

After that, something was awkward between the two for a while. All Hinata’s friends were suddenly very interested in his newly discovered secondary gender, but Kageyama wouldn’t utter a word about it, or about the fact that he knew Hinata was in heat that summer day when he accompanied him home.

“Thank you,” Hinata whispered one day, when both had cleaning duty after training. The gym was spacious and empty, and his words echoed inside when he said them, even though his voice was so low.

Kageyama raised his head from his task of mopping the floor, his attention fully on him, and his expression said clearly that he couldn’t understand what Hinata was talking about.

“You know, for taking me home that day,” Hinata explained, focusing on retrieving the balls scattered around. He shrugged. “For not asking anything. Accepting this whole thing, or ratter… not caring about it.”

“Why would I care?” Kageyama asked with simplicity, dismissing his recognition. “Nothing has changed, dumbass.”

Hinata smiled to himself during the rest of the night.

After that, the awkward distance between them stopped entirely and they got back to what they had before. Hinata’s new status as an omega bothered a lot of volleyball players in other teams and interested a good other half of them.

As far as he was concerned, omegas weren’t common on sports teams.

Ever since the omega rights were legislated and applied, they had been treated as equals compared to alphas and betas, but, in terms of sports, they were all together in the same “male” category, which meant that they had to play on the same team. It was very obvious that the majority of strong and tall players were alphas, since it was related to their genetics and body type to be physically superior, and some betas stood up too. There were strong omegas too, but it wasn’t so common, and Hinata clearly wasn’t in that group.

Since omegas, betas and alphas were put together on the same team, omegas usually couldn’t find a place on sports teams because they had disadvantages.

This meant that Hinata was a rarity on the competitions.

Sincerely, he didn’t expect to be expelled from the team after presenting as an omega. It was clear that it wouldn’t change much of anything, since his performances would continue the same, so he didn’t think about being left behind, as happened in other teams, apparently.

He was also an omega in the starting lineup. He was good gossip material, as Nishinoya-senpai had pointed out after their first competition round. Hinata was the omega who could jump high when other omegas couldn’t even step on the court.

It was strange to have those eyes and gossips following him, but, after the initial fear, Hinata truly started to enjoy it, since he did like to be the center of attention. 

In spite of everyone’s reactions, though, Kageyama just kept treating him the same.

He wasn’t an omega, or a midget, or even a middle blocker. He was just Hinata, simply that.

It was… refreshing. It was refreshing to know Kageyama would view him the same way even if he was an omega. Kageyama just didn’t care about it, he would treat him the same way even if he grew a second head, as long as Hinata played his best on their matches.

Hinata felt ok about everything then.

Well, at least the three first months, then he had another heat, and the doctor told him he couldn’t take suppressants before he was eighteen because his hormones, uterus and body in general were still evolving and the medicine would mix everything up.

Yeah, well, in theory it was amazing, but he entertained the idea of the suppressants when he went through his second heat.

It was supposed to be amazing, they said. Emotional and good and wonderfully pleasurable.

Honestly, all he felt was disgust, tiredness and emptiness.

“It’s because you don’t have a partner,” Nishinoya told him once after training when he was complaining about it. Hinata blinked at him, surprised by the answer, and the older one gave him a malicious smile. “It’s supposed to be good when you share it with someone, Shouyou.”

“Wh… _What_ _?_ ” Hinata blinked furiously, feeling his face getting hotter while the upperclassman laughed. He just hadn’t thought about finding someone to spend it with. It was kind of an absurd to him, the one who, just some months before, couldn’t even consider he was an omega.

In fact, it probably wasn’t that difficult to discover. He was tiny and skinny and, honestly speaking, he had a little bit of a nurturing nature. He could tell it by the way his mother trusted him with Natsu so naturally when she needed.

Now, however, his status was blatantly obvious because of his vanilla smell that kept behind him everywhere he went. Once, Kageyama wrinkled his nose and told him he should learn some way to suppress or at least control the smell, because it was too strong.

When they started going to the competitions, all the alphas’ heads would turn his way when he passed.

They lost the Inter-high again this year, but went to the Nationals of the Spring tournament, and they won it.

It was really hallucinating. Victory after victory, and some were really difficult! Hinata could swear that they were going to lose at least a couple of times, but, when they won with a point of his, he just couldn’t help himself.

He cried.

Soundly.

Ennoshita, Tanaka and Nishinoya threw themselves over him, and the cameras and flashes and gym lights were so bright, and they _had won_. The country had their eyes over them, and they had proved their strength.

Kageyama was by his side when they received their prize. In line, medals tingling and hanging from their necks, Hinata’s vision was blurry because he was still crying, and _they were Japan’s best_.

He glanced to the setter, his heart warming when he recognized the trails of tears down his cheeks. His eyes were swollen and a really deep tone of blue that made Hinata smile. Silently, he reached a hand, placing it on the setter’s wrist and feeling the muscles contracting under his touch. The alpha looked at him and his whole posture screamed a question so simple that Hinata couldn’t restrain the smile.

“I told you,” he whispered under all the noises around them. “I told you we would bring the trophy back this year.”

“Hm…” Kageyama averted his gaze back to where the organization officer was announcing their names, his smell so full of pride while Hinata touched the scent gland in his wrist. “I didn’t doubt, dumbass. Of course we would. We’ll also do it again next year, just you wait.”

He was right.

In their third year, with Yamaguchi as their captain and leader, they won for the second time in a roll. It was as hallucinating as the first time, with his heart thumping loudly inside his chest all the games until they announced their victory. In front of cameras, with their upperclassmen crying on the grandstand, all looking so proud of them.

Along the three years together, Hinata and Kageyama grew close in volleyball. Their moves were almost done in pure instinct, each one improving and forcing the other to work harder. They were like the perfect duo, Hinata felt like them playing together was just meant to be.

But they also grew closer as friends as well. They were so, so close, that he considered Kageyama his best friend. So, when they won, when their victory was announced, the first thing he did after regaining his senses was throw himself over the setter, sending both of them to the floor.

Their juniors joined them soon after, but, for a brief moment, it had been just Kageyama and him, the alpha’s hands on his shoulders, Hinata’s face burrowed on his neck, the scent of sweat and alpha strong and reassuring. Kageyama’s smell was like a safe place where he belonged and was accepted, and his touch was rough and welcoming. His smell was so shocked and Hinata could feel his own vanilla scent permeating the air, as shocked as his, and breathtakingly happy soon after.

When they parted to stay in line and greet their opponents, Hinata got up first, making eye contact with his setter. His eyes were swollen, and he felt the tears streaming down his cheeks, because it wasn’t just a victory, it was their _last_.

They were almost over with their high school and the next competition they would face would be as rivals in university, Hinata thought.

Away from this scent and this touch and these feelings.

“You know, everything has changed these past years,” Kageyama whispered to him later that night. They were sharing a room again, like every year, and both decided to skip to watch the stars at the garden of their pension.

There were almost no stars there since they were in Tokyo, and it made Hinata miss his house in the mountain, though, at the same time, he didn’t wish to go back, because this dream, this high school volleyball team dream, would end then.

Hinata turned to look at the setter questioningly, both lying on the grass. His face was all dark, the expression enigmatic and the eyes glued to the night ceiling over them as if he could really see stars there.

“I thought that volleyball was all about getting better and better and loving this feeling of improving, but back then all I could see were my own feelings,” Kageyama murmured again, probably referring to their junior high. “Then I entered Karasuno and started perceiving the other players. And your improvement has been my improvement. We’re a unity.”

“Oh,” Hinata blurted, expecting him to blush at the comments, because he was always so awkward about everything regarding their team feelings, but, if Kageyama blushed, he couldn’t see in the dark. “It’s like a home,” he said in return, and it wasn’t a lie. Their team was a home. Kageyama was a home.

 _Kageyama_ was a home…

Leaving it behind was like leaving all those feelings behind, and it hurt. Hinata’s chest tightened, his heart beating sore. He averted his gaze to the sky again, watching the full moon and the clouds dancing in front of it.

“It’s like a home,” Kageyama agreed.

After that they came back to their old routine in Karasuno, though the feeling of parting lingered on in the air. Hinata was already missing it all, but it wasn’t over yet, he told himself.

It was a cold winter morning, and they had just gotten to the gym after changing to their sports uniforms. It had been just a couple of weeks after winning the Nationals, and whenever he stepped inside the gym, Hinata felt those mixed feelings of happiness and nostalgia. A morning with him and Kageyama only, it was just like three years before, when they were training with Tanaka to get a place on the team because they had a fight.

At the time, Hinata had wished he could avoid being on Kageyama’s team.

Now he wished he could get back there and do everything again, even though, he told himself, it was just the beginning.

“You know,” Kageyama started when the two caught a ball and begun practicing receives and serves with each other, “you really…” he stopped then, pouting and making a conflicted demeanor.

Hinata looked at him dumbfoundedly, continuing to receive his serves with ease. “What?”

“You…” Kageyama frowned, looking like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t bring himself to. “You just… You’ve gotten a lot better at this.”

“You mean… receives?” the ginger asked, suddenly breathless. He hit the ball with too much force accidentally, and it went right to the other side of the gym, making Kageyama snort in annoyance and turn to him with a deeper frown.

“Hey, dumbass, I just told yo…”

“You have just complimented me,” Hinata whispered, shocked beyond words, and the alpha suddenly shut up, looking at him in surprise. The omega felt something warm in his chest and a sudden urge to cry. His smell got stronger, filling the space around him with happiness. “You’ve just…”

Then he smiled, feeling his heart swelling inside. Kageyama was so, so difficult, and he almost never complimented the middle blocker. It was so heartfelt whenever he did that Hinata couldn’t help getting moved.

The setter looked at him for some seconds, then he averted his gaze while Hinata went to take their ball back excitedly, and continued solemnly when the omega was coming back:

“I’ve been given a scholarship in a university in Tokyo.”

It took Hinata a second to process this new information.

Kageyama in Tokyo… Closer to the chance of playing professionally and making his dreams come true.

Hinata abruptly stopped smiling and walking.

It was good news. Of course, clearly it was good news.

But Kageyama’s body language told him he wasn’t all that proud of it.

Which was an _absurd_.

Hinata let the ball go, proceeded in the alpha’s direction and slapped his arm so strongly that he grunted loudly, turning to him with the eyes full of hatred.

“It’s wonderful! Congrats, Kageyama! You sure as hell deserve it,” the omega told him, and he was true to his every word. He was so happy. Happy and proud, because his setter would soon be the best of the country and he was one step closer to it. “Oh, but I won’t lose, just you wait.”

He pouted, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Why is it always you? I won’t be left behind; do you hear me?”

“Really?” Kageyama asked, seeming to lose his stiff posture after Hinata’s reaction and resuming their training.

He couldn’t help, though, the envy. He wanted to be recognized too. It was just like every time in the past, Kageyama was always ahead of him. But it wasn’t just envy that bothered him during these days, it was also loneliness.

He was used to Kageyama by his side every day, and soon they wouldn’t have it anymore. He would be kilometers away, and the ginger didn’t want to think about it.

Only four days later, Hinata was invited to a university in Tokyo as well.

His mother answered the invitation call while he was at school, so, when he got back that night, she received him with a cake and a hug so tight he almost fainted.

He came to the school the other day super excited to tell Kageyama the news. So excited that, when he met the setter by chance in the changing room, he just threw himself over him in a hug.

Kageyama’s back hit the shelves of one of the walls; a pair of their juniors looked at them in alarm before whispering between each other and leaving the room quickly.

“ _What_ are you doing, idiot?” Kageyama scolded, frowning to the omega, but Hinata just smiled widely, the alpha’s scent soft around them — oh, he had probably showered earlier.

“Bakayama, I’ve been invited to a university in Tokyo as well!”

The dark-haired boy blinked at this, probably slowly assimilating the information. Hinata, on the other hand, laughed harder at his struck expression, reaching one of his hands and poking him on the forehead.

“Stop that, dumbass,” the alpha hissed, glaring at him.

“I was just wondering why the dumb face. O’ course I would get an invitation as well, you idiot,” Hinata answered, omitting the part in which he was afraid he wouldn’t get one.

Naturally both accepted and also ignored the whispers that followed them after the training in a daily basis. Their first years seemed to be wondering the kind of relationship they had, but Hinata was so focused on passing the last exams, finishing high school and geting the most out of his last days with the team that he just didn’t care about it.

During their third year, the ginger missed being in the same class as Kageyama. Their classes were sorted again, and this time he was all alone during the year. It was a strange year, with all those heavy feelings lingering in the air. The tension rose throughout all the exams, and Hinata missed Kageyama’s company by his side. They stayed together a lot after classes and went out on weekends.

He liked it. He would miss it even more when they went to their own universities.

“Hinata,” Kageyama called him once. It was late at night, and Hinata was preparing to go to sleep after studding till the last moment. He and Kageyama had been exchanging messages about the subject in hand, but, after he had finished studding, the setter called suddenly, his voice severe. Hinata felt his heart beating in his throat practically immediately. Kageyama almost never messaged him, let alone call him, so it was bound to be something important.

“What?” he asked, sitting at the edge of his bed and looking to his feet in expectancy. He could hear Kageyama’s breathing through the speaker, and it wasn’t calm and soothing like usually.

“Let’s live together.”

“Uh?” he blurted, confused. Kageyama breathed heavily by the other side of the line, apparently more tense than he seemed to want to show him. Hinata’s eyes widened to his floor while the setter proceeded:

“In Tokyo. Let’s share an apartment. Our universities are close anyways.”

“O-Oh.”

Hinata averted his gaze to the ceiling, feeling his heart beating wildly inside his chest. What was that? His smell was getting stronger around him, a clear sign that he was unsettled by the situation.

He had been feeling nervous and lonely, and suddenly Kageyama just…

“Yes,” he whispered through the phone, his voice more certain than he had expected it to be. “Yes, yes, let’s do it, Kageyama. Let’s share an apartment.”

He heard Kageyama’s breathing by the other side, and it sounded considerably relieved, as if he was tense because of his own proposition. Hinata smiled to his ceiling, imagining his expression, the big blue eyes, the soft skin, the hair that made him want to touch it. He would have it all the time he wanted in Tokyo!

They ended the year with farewells and new exciting beginnings.

And, actually, Hinata was right when he told himself not to worry because these last three years had just been the beginning. He couldn’t even imagine what would happen next, even though the time had wonderful things awaiting him and his future at Tokyo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've liked this one as well :))
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone that gave this story a shot, I'm incredibly happy with the feedback that the first chapter received :)) Hopefuly, it will continue to be of your liking!  
> This story was meant to focus more on their time in university and adulthood, so it'll get slower from now on, and the chapters will be considerably bigger UAHSUAHUS. Still not so big as some I've seen out there, but, well, I've tried my best UAHSUAHSU.
> 
> Thank you all for reading! :DDD Feedback is always appreaciated.  
> The third chapter will come out in January the 19th (could be earlier or later, depending on your time zone), so, see you guys soon :))))


	3. When we started to live together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re in a rut,” he murmured, realization hitting him on the forehead like a ball. Kageyama just kept staring at him, the eyes turbid, and Hinata reached an uncertain hand to his cheek, feeling the warmth under his digits.
> 
> The alpha leaned in his touch, his gaze intense, and the ginger gasped.

Tokyo was huge and confusing, and Hinata soon discovered that, as Kenma had already told him, it was best visiting than living in.

One week before the start of the new term, Hinata and Kageyama finally moved to their new shared apartment. It had a little kitchen, a living room big enough for a dining table, a sofa and a television, a bathroom and two rooms, one slightly bigger than the other, whose owner was decided by drawing lots, in which Hinata pompously won fair and square.

Their first day was like hell, surrounded by boxes and boxes and so much to clean before putting away their belongings. Neither Hinata nor Kageyama was known for being organized or tidy, so it was a pain, and they argued a lot until both fell asleep over the living room mat.

When Hinata woke up the next day, he was embraced by Kageyama’s woody scent, and, after blinking sometimes, the image of the setter was clear and endearing in front of him, sleeping uncomfortably over the mat, his expression a little bit unsettled, brows furrowed under the lights that filtered through the window. Hinata reached a hand to his forehead, poking the crease between his eyebrows to try and ease the frown he had.

Kageyama murmured something, and his eyes blinked open soon after. They were unfocused for a second, then trailed the way from Shouyou’s fingers to his wrist, to his arm, and finally his eyes found Hinata’s. They were so deep and clearer than usual under the morning lights, and Hinata felt like he could drown.

He didn’t understand anything concerning Kageyama. While he would make him feel safe and comfortable, he would also get on his nerves and lead him to do his best. Kageyama was a good friend.

And… Hm, well…

Okay, okay, he _was_ gorgeous too.

What? It’s not necessary to be so surprised! Hinata was human after all, he had eyes and he could say when someone was appealing, okay? Of course he would be attracted, look at Kageyama, all abs, tanned skin and perfect eyes… It took him some months to come to terms with this fact, but that was it, moving on.

Kageyama wasn’t the only pretty person Hinata had met during the past years. There was that cute player of Inarizaki last year, Dateko’s new manager, the part-timer alpha of the supermarket closest to his home and a lot more. Unfortunately, nothing worked out on that field. Romance wasn’t as simple as he would’ve expected it to, and he knew close to nothing about relationships.

 _It’s supposed to be good when you share it with someone_ , he could remember Nishinoya’s words from two years ago. He had expected that by now he would’ve understood, but he had continued to have his heats by himself.

Now he shared an apartment with an alpha, and it would most probably incite him to have some biological responses. He could accept it. He was getting used to his responses to Kageyama already anyways.

“What are you doing, idiot?” Kageyama asked, slapping his fingers away from his eyebrows. His eyes were inquiring about it while the omega pouted angrily, taking his hand back and pushing it against his chest protectively.

“You just seemed to be having a nightmare, and I was trying to help you, Bakayama.”

Kageyama narrowed his eyes, clearly not pleased at the _compliment_ , and then looked around, noticing his surroundings. His eyes came back to the omega after a while, still sleepy, and, when he sat up, his hair was disheveled.

“I guess we’ll have to find the pans if we want to prepare breakfast.”

Things changed drastically when the first term started.

Firstly because, soon after that, Kageyama received an invitation to join the national U20 team, fact that left Hinata gritting his teeth, to say the least.

Secondly because, for some unknown reason, everyone was just convinced that he couldn’t share an apartment with an alpha around his age and _not be_ in a romantic relationship with said alpha. Which meant everyone implied there was something between them.

And, when Hinata said everyone, he literally meant _everyone_.

From his classmates, upperclassmen, volleyball team comrades, to their neighbors, the staff of the bakery, the library and the sport’s shop near their apartment. God, even _his_ _mother_ insinuated there was something going on whenever she called from Miyagi.

Hinata was flustered by it in the beginning, but he got used to the insinuations eventually, just dismissing their thoughts with ease.

Once, Kageyama brought some of his teammates from the U20 over, and they also suggested stuff.

It was a Friday night, and Hinata was deciding on which flavor of pizza he would order, because there was no way in hell he would try to cook on a Friday night after the whole week of suffering and practice. To sum up, he was tired, and he had just taken a shower, so his smell was all well-behaved and under control while he went through the menu of the restaurants near the apartment on his phone.

He was sitting on his couch, hair damp and a towel across his shoulders, when he heard the _click_ of the front door.

“Kageyama, which flavor of pizza do you want?” Hinata checked the entrance, shutting up soon after when he noticed, behind the setter, two other figures.

Kageyama took his shoes off by the entrance, leaving them there and proceeding in the direction of the ginger. He took the phone away from his hand and placed there a bag that smelled really…

“Curry?” Hinata asked, smiling widely at the alpha, who simply nodded, turning to his visitors. Hinata followed his gaze, recognizing the other two from some U20 games he had seen recently.

Of course, everyone there was skilled, and they were no different. Tall, talented alphas at the beginning of their professional careers. They seemed to be good rivals and Hinata was about to greet them when one pointed a finger to him and exclaimed:

“Kageyama, so you _do_ live with an omega!”

“I’ve already told you that,” Kageyama replied, introducing the two to Hinata. Hinata just blinked at the fascination of the first one to talk, a blond alpha even taller than Kageyama. Well, he was used to it already, people finding it strange that they lived together, so he just shrugged it away and got up to settle the table.

The visitors, Satou Kouji and Takahashi Ryuuya, complimented their apartment and helped them prepare the table to dine together, but something bothered Hinata the whole time. He felt like a subject of some inspection by the way the blond, Satou, was looking at him, as if he was expecting something to happen.

Whatever it was, he couldn’t understand it by the end of the dinner, because he said: “So I see you two are not bonded yet.”

“I’ve told you already that it’s not like that with Hinata,” Kageyama blurted, exasperated. The other visitor, Takahashi, just face-palmed, as if he had already been expecting something awkward like that to happen.

“You said, but it’s difficult to imagine,” the blond explained, twitching his lips. “Honestly speaking, it will be difficult for you both to deal with ruts and heats in the same space if you’re not together.”

Kageyama kept silent at that, and Hinata looked from him to his friends.

It was true. It was something they had talked about sometimes when they were deciding where to live. They would have to go to hotels when they had their heats and ruts, at least until June, when Hinata would finally be allowed to take his suppressants.

(He couldn’t wait for this moment, really.)

“We’ll manage,” he said at last, shrugging and proceeding to take their plates to the kitchen.

Kageyama’s friends were nice, he thought. After that, they didn’t make any comments on their relationship anymore. Kageyama brought them home quite frequently, so they probably were good friends, because not even Hinata, with whom Kageyama was in good terms during high school, had been allowed to visit him that much in the past.

Time passed quickly, and soon Hinata’s eighteenth birthday came. There was no party because everyone was really busy, but Hinata celebrated anyways, ordering dinner, watching his favorite show on TV and blatantly ignoring the homework he had to do to the next day.

He probably fell asleep at some point during the show; he blinked, and suddenly it was late, and he could hear a door closing.

He turned around to see the front door and Kageyama standing next to it taking his shoes off. The alpha looked up at him, his face blank with a plastic bag hanging from one of his hands and the usual pout, wearing his newly received Japan jerseys.

Hinata yawned, smiling at his arrival. “Welcome back,” he said softly, stretching and turning the television off.

“I’m home,” Kageyama answered lightly, leaving his backpack close to their dining table and proceeding to the kitchen. Hinata dozed off a little, still half in the dream world, and came back to Earth when he felt the movement of another body sitting beside him on the couch.

He turned to Kageyama, the eyes swollen from the sleep, and slowly registered that he had a fork and a piece of cake on a plate. The setter extended it to him without any words, avoiding his gaze, and Hinata smiled drowsily, taking the plate.

“Happy birthday,” the alpha said, pouting to the black screen of their television. He took the remote control and turned it on again, zapping the channels nervously. The omega looked at his cake, admiring the beautiful white whipped cream over the chocolate sponge cake. It looked tasty, and he hadn’t brought cake home that day, so he was glad Kageyama had remembered his birthday and had bought it.

“Thank you,” he said, taking a bite.

“Hmmm,” he purred, closing his eyes and tasting the cake. It was sweet and fluffy, and he loved it. When he opened his eyelids again, he noticed the cobalt-hued irises focused on his face with admiration.

Kageyama turned away as soon as their eyes met, but Hinata noticed the way he had looked at him, though he couldn’t define it. It just made him feel strange and created an urge to talk to Kageyama.

“It’s nice. The only thing missing is a good cup of coffee. Cake is always good with coffee.”

When he looked around, Kageyama was still not looking his way. Unsatisfied, he cut a piece of his cake again and offered the fork to the setter. “Hey, Kageyama,” he called, the fork midair in his hand and close to the face of the dark-haired boy, but he was looking at the other direction, so he didn’t notice. Hinata frowned a little. “Kageyama, hey, look at me. Kageyama. Kageyama. Bakayama!”

“What?” the alpha shouted, turning abruptly. He hit the fork with his cheek, causing the omega to drop it and dirtying his face and the jersey with whipped cream. He and Hinata stared at each other for a second in shock before the ginger started laughing hard.

Kageyama settled on running after him in the apartment and forcing the omega to wash his jersey pants.

It was very comfortable and cozy, and Hinata loved this birthday, though sometimes Kageyama’s hands could have been a little bit gentler with his poor hair. Maybe he intended to make the boy go bald?

The next day, he scheduled a medic check-up for the weekend so that he would be able to get his suppressant’s prescription — the most important part of his eighteenth birthday, in his opinion.

Right after that, Kageyama had a rut.

It was really, _really_ awkward.

Kageyama would always wake up first for his classes. Hinata was the one who was always late, so, when he woke up and ran to the kitchen to stuff something into his mouth, he was surprised to see Kageyama’s shoes by the door and no signal of the alpha in the shared spaces.

He looked suspiciously at the door of his room, then proceeded silently and touched his ear to the wood, trying to hear any sound that indicated the consciousness of the alpha, but there was none.

Hinata knocked on the door twice before opening it.

The room was dark in spite of the daytime because Kageyama had hanged blackout curtains on the windows. The only actual source of light was the door that Hinata had just opened, so he left it open and proceed cautiously to the bed.

When he was close enough, he could identify the peculiar scent, but then it was too late anyways.

Kageyama’s smell was strong and powerful — more than usual. It was almost like it could touch Hinata and strip him naked, the sensation pricking his skin. He took a wrong approach and breathed deeply on that scent, trying to understand what that was. _So…_ hot, and so manly, and cool, and it attracted him.

His hand moved in the direction of Kageyama’s hair appearing over the top of the blanket.

“Kageyama,” he called lowly, touching some of his silky hair and feeling something churning inside him. “Kageyama, you’ll be late if y—”

A palm flew in his direction, capturing his hand and pulling him down. Hinata fell over the bed, another arm guiding him by the waist, and, in mere seconds, Kageyama was over him, breathing heavily, the eyes big and the pupils engulfing everything in pure black.

His hair was a mess, and he seemed so hot, not just because he was under the blanket seconds ago, but also because he was dripping wet with sweat. His face was red and close, his warm breath heating Hinata’s cheeks and eliciting shivers down his spine. He let out his own breath, taking another one full of the inviting scent.

“You’re in a rut,” he murmured, realization hitting him on the forehead like a ball. Kageyama just kept staring at him, the eyes turbid, and Hinata reached an uncertain hand to his cheek, feeling the warmth under his digits.

The alpha leaned in his touch, his gaze intense, and the ginger gasped.

“You have to go to the hotel like we talked about before. You have to go, Kageyama.”

“I know,” the dark-haired boy interrupted, his voice a little bit pained. Hinata knew it was most likely hurting and seeing him like that hurt him as well. He caressed the alpha’s cheeks fondly, as if it could somehow make the pain go away. Kageyama’s eyes inspected every inch of his face, restless and tired at the same time. He looked like he would be going through hell soon, and his voice was hoarse: “You shouldn’t be here, you idiot.”

“Yeah, I know,” he whispered back, heat spreading inside his stomach. Even though he was scolding him, Kageyama’s voice wasn’t angry, just a little bit worried. “We should just…”

“Yeah,” Kageyama agreed, without even letting him finish. “Let’s just get outta here, I guess.”

“That’s the idea,” Hinata murmured back. Feeling goosebumps on the skin, he wondered if he would be in heat if he hadn’t taken the suppressants.

His cheeks got hotter. That was the closest he had ever gotten to someone attractive; he wasn’t so used to that much attention. But it still was Kageyama, Hinata felt comfortable around him and didn’t fear him.

Kageyama was the first to take action again, which was surprising considering _he_ was the one in a rut here. He closed his eyelids, frowning as if in pain.

“Hinata, call someone to escort me to the alpha hotel.”

The alpha reached for his cellphone over the nightstand. He disconnected the phone charger and gave the telephone to the omega with shaking hands, seeming considerably tired and avoiding eye contact.

Then he rolled a little bit to his right, giving the smaller one space to sit, and Hinata did exactly that, dialing the emergency number for rut and glancing in the alpha’s direction from time to time during the call.

Kageyama looked like he was suffering a lot. He was panting and his eyes were closed, a hand falling over his chest, which heaved hard with each breath. Something inside the omega hurt to see him this way — his nature told him he had to tend to his friend, relieve him from the pain, be affectionate and loving.

He wanted to nuzzle his hair and spread calming pheromones in the air.

But he wasn’t sure which part of that was the omega speaking and which part was him. In fact, he didn’t even know where the limit between the actions of friends and something more laid, what he could and couldn’t do.

The escorting came really fast — maybe they thought Kageyama could try to attack him? The alpha silently let them guide him out; his eyes never met Hinata’s, and, when he was gone, the omega felt something strange in his chest. The apartment would be empty for days, and it was strange after having Kageyama around him constantly.

When he was changing, already late for the morning practice, he stopped by the mirror of his bathroom to check on himself. His face was red, the hair messy like usual, and nothing seemed different. It was like nothing happened, even though he felt strange, restless from the previous events.

Two days after that, at night, a knock at the door took him off guard.

Hinata was making instant noodles for his dinner, but he left the kitchen hurriedly to open the door. He was surprised to find Kageyama’s U20 teammate, the blond alpha, Satou, at the other side.

“Hinata-san!” he said, eyes going up and down Hinata’s frame. The omega smiled, giving him way to enter. “I’ve heard Kageyama is in a rut at the moment.”

“Oh, yeah,” he confirmed, turning away and going back to the kitchen to continue preparing his noodles. The alpha followed him and stopped by the arch between the living room and the kitchen. “Did you come to talk to him? He’s not here though."

“Ah, no. I just wanted to check on you.” This answer took Hinata off guard and he turned to the blond in surprise. Then he let a smile spread on his face. Kageyama’s friends were really kind, he should have already noticed.

“Let’s eat together,” he suggested as thanks. “But you don’t have to worry, really. Kageyama wouldn’t force me to do anything! And if I didn’t want to, I’d beat the crap outta him.”

Satou approached Hinata by the counter and offered help, though it was unnecessary since the ginger was just making instant noodles, so he instructed him to settle the table instead.

They ate together happily. Hinata used the time to ask about the practice of the U20 since Kageyama usually refused to tell him all the details, maybe to keep the experience to himself — or maybe because Hinata pestered him too much about it, who knows. The blond gladly told him about their train regimen, the university he was attending and the everyday of other members of the team. He also asked about Hinata’s volleyball abilities and suggested they played together one weekend or another. It was fun, and Hinata appreciated the company, but soon it was too late for him to continue there, so the blond had to say his farewells for the night.

When he was putting his shoes on by the door, Hinata tiptoeing by his side and restraining a yawn, he turned to the ginger, his brown eyes suddenly serious. Hinata smiled, unaware of what he wanted to say.

“I was just thinking…” he started, getting up and giving Hinata a smile, “if you’d like to grab a bite sometime, dunno.”

The ginger blinked, unsure if it was what he thought it was or if he was misreading the situation. He decided on the later, smiling warmly to the blond. “I know you’re quite busy, but I’ll—”

“I have time, don’t worry. We could visit places in Tokyo that you haven’t been to yet,” the blond added, twitching his lips, as if in deep thought. “I’ll give you my number and we can decide the day.”

“Oh, hm,” Hinata looked down, flabbergasted, and reached for his phone in the back pocket, unlocking it and handing it over to the blond.

Satou typed his number quickly, handing it back soon after. “I’ve sent myself a message so that I have your number as well,” then he smiled, scratching his nape. “Text me whenever you want.”

Hinata looked down at the new contact on his screen, then up at Satou’s confident expression. There was no way he was misunderstanding this. He put the phone back in his pocket and smiled to him, ignoring how his cheeks got hot. “Maybe we can talk tomorrow?”

“Okay!”

Hinata nodded, although there was nothing for him to nod to, and both stared at each other for some seconds. “Then I guess I‘ll be on my way now.”

“Okay, bye.” He waived to him until Satou disappeared at the stairs.

Hinata was left hanging there. He looked down, taking everything that had happened in.

Okay… Okay. He could understand that situation. Satou wanted them to have something more. That was fine.

Satou was okay. No, to say the truth, he was more than okay. He was tall and slim, with sweet brown eyes and a mischievous smile. Hinata did find tall people attractive, and he had nothing against blond hair or his face. Also, he was a volleyball player — that by itself earned him a lot of points.

Hinata had to be honest, he wasn’t actually paying attention to him in that romantic way. Maybe he should think about it some more before doing anything… Well, they could still talk and see how things went.

Yeah, he would just leave it to it and think tomorrow.

His resolve lasted for about half an hour. He was too anxious and couldn’t help but call Sugawara. His senpai answered quickly, surprised by the call, but asked what the problem was when Hinata explained he wanted advice.

“You know, when someone… Someone asks you out, but you’re not sure if you’d like—”

“Wait, wait,” the honey-haired setter interrupted him. “Someone has asked you out?”

“Hm…” Hinata blinked to his wall, pouting. “Yes?”

“Oh.” He could hear the smile in Suga’s interjection. “It seems like my baby boy is all grown up.”

“What?” Hinata asked, laughing. “You’re a little bit late, Sugawara-senpai, I’ve been grown up for a while now.”

“ _O’ course you are,_ ” Suga made fun of him at the other side. “I know my offspring, young man.”

Hinata laughed again, face-palming. Suga was just so… Oh, he loved talking to the setter.

“So, what happened?” Suga asked.

“Well,” Hinata laid his head over the cushion of the couch, looking up to the white ceiling. “One of Kageyama’s friends from the U20 appeared here earlier today. Kageyama’s out because of a rut, so it was just the two of us. We had dinner together, then he suggested we go out.”

“Oh, I see,” Suga agreed. “Do you like him?”

“I’m not sure.” Hinata bit his lower lip for some seconds, trying to find words to express his feelings. “I had never thought about it. Ah, but he’s nice. It’s good to talk to him most of the time. And he’s cute.”

“So he’s a good conversation partner then. That’s nice, it means you can spend longer together,” Suga commented. “If it was just the looks, it would get boring sooner or later.”

“I see…” Hinata pouted, thinking back to Satou’s other visits. He was a little bit meddlesome, but generally fun to spend time with. “He’s, ah, his name’s Satou Kouji. He plays volleyball, and I dunno, maybe it could work out between us. I don’t know. How’d you tell if you’d like someone or not?”

“Hm,” Suga sounded contemplative. “Well, usually people decide first if they find someone attractive… Some people like to talk as well and see how it goes. I’d say you’ll want to get closer… It changes from person to person… In your case, you two have common interests, so you could try and talk to him, go out together and see if something happens and how you feel about it.”

“I see…” Shouyou sighed. “So the only way is to wait and see what happens?”

“You can’t be in a hurry when you’re thinking about relationships, Hinata. It’s your first time going out with someone, right? You shouldn’t hurry it.”

“I-I’m not hurrying! I don’t even know if he’ll want to date me. I mean, it’s surprising enough that he wants to go out,” Hinata pouted again. Gosh, he sounded confusing.

“Don’t you start beating yourself up. Of course he could want to date you, you’re pretty, talented, hardworking. I’m pretty sure the only reason no one has approached you before is because you’re always with Kageyama.”

“Kageyama, again?” the omega whispered, frowning to his ceiling. The blond’s face in his mind was replaced with Tobio’s pouting one. He was a jerk most of the time, but was also always by Hinata’s side, it was true. He had those bad social skills and awkward reactions, and, at the same time, he had those deep blue eyes and warm words whenever Hinata needed them.

“Well, yes. You’re always together, people tend to assume something is going on. Think about it from another perspective: if you were interested in someone and that person seemed to be close to someone else, wouldn’t you at least wonder if they were dating?”

“Hmm…” Hinata murmured, frowning. “You mean that, from an outsider perspective, we seem to be close, so people give up before trying?”

“Yes… It’s not bad that you two are close friends, but if you don’t make it extra clear that you don’t intend to date, people may assume.” Hinata pouted while Suga continued to explain himself.

The next day, they settled a date.

Kageyama wasn’t back yet, so Hinata invited Kenma over to help him get ready for it.

Kenma lived at the other side of the city, but they did meet sometimes. It was not his first time at Hinata’s apartment, so he didn’t hold back when he got there, making himself comfortable on Hinata’s bed while the omega tried a thousand outfits to choose one.

“What are you working yourself up for?” he asked after a while, eyes on his videogame. Hinata pursed his lips, frowning to his wardrobe. “I thought you didn’t know if you liked the guy or not.”

“And I don’t,” Hinata gave in, throwing himself on the bed beside the beta. Kenma gave him a side glance, a single eyebrow up in a silent question. “I’ve never been to a date before, okay? I’m nervous.”

“You should wear your everyday clothes,” Kenma told him, shrugging. “You’d not want him to like you only when you’re dressed up.”

“But he already knows what I look like when I’m in casual clothes. For god’s sake, Kageyama brought him here without telling me anything, I was just wearing whatever!” He put his hands over his face. He shouldn’t be embarrassed about it, it didn’t even matter a day before. Now he was getting all flustered over it. “I don’t want to go too casual and make him think that I don’t care.”

“You’re making it too complicated,” Kenma complained.

“But it _is_ complicated!” Hinata rolled around, pressing his face against Kenma’s back and shaking him a little. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Just put on something okay, Shouyou,” Kenma mumbled, letting go of his videogame and looking over his shoulder at Hinata. He tried to reach a hand to the ginger’s head, but their awkward position made it impossible, and they stayed in that uncomfortable tangle for some seconds before Hinata let him go, both bursting in laugh.

“I’m overreacting, ain’t I?” the omega asked, laying a hand over his forehead and staring upwards.

“It’s okay. You’re cute when you’re overreacting. I’m sure he’ll think so too.”

“K-Kenma!” Hinata felt a blush going up his neck, looking around to the beta. Kenma gave him a small smile, the hair a mess over the mattress. “C’mon, just help me pick something real quick, it’s almost time for me to leave.”

“Okay, okay,” Kenma shook his head, sitting up to help the omega.

In the end, he decided on a black shirt and jeans shorts. He worried over it for the first ten minutes, maybe, then he forgot all about it during the rest of the date.

Satou was interesting. They decided to visit Ginza district and grab something to eat there, so he guided Hinata to a good restaurant he knew, and both ate pasta and meatballs. Hinata would _never_ complain about pasta and meatballs, thank you very much. Later, they went around the district. It was fun, Hinata got gifts for his mother and sister, and also for Kageyama. Maybe it’d make him feel less miserable about life once he was back from his rut.

Satou’s laugh was cute. Hinata couldn’t stop thinking of it as they made their way back to the station when it was getting late. It was night already, but there were just some tiny, persistent stars above — the majority couldn’t overcome Tokyo’s lights.

As they were getting closer to the station, something popped up in Hinata’s mind: should they kiss?

He held his breath, giving a side glance to the blond. Did people kiss on first dates? He didn’t know. He had never kissed before. Was it strange? Would he embarrass himself? What if Satou thought Hinata was too eager and lost interest?

Damn, that was complicated.

By the time they reached the station, Hinata concluded he shouldn’t kiss him for a very simple reason: they’d be in a public space, so it was impolite to kiss there, in front of everyone.

Satou solved this problem offering to take him home. That got him to a whole new problem: should he invite him in? Would it be strange? Man, he would give everything in the world to have a second to call Suga and ask him what to do!

When they got to his front door, Hinata was absolutely flustered. “T-Thank you for tonight,” he told the blond.

Satou smiled, pulling a strand of hair behind his ear. Gosh, he was tall. “I had a lot of fun, thank you too, Hinata-san.”

Their eyes locked for a second, silence filling the entryway, and the keys of the apartment were heavy on Hinata’s hand as he played with them. He breathed deeply, turning around to open the door at the same time that the blonde called his name.

“Oh,” both said, looking at each other again. Satou’s face was a little bit red and his lips were trembling, Hinata noticed. He felt his face hot too. He couldn’t take his eyes off Kouji, then he stopped thinking as they got closer.

He felt a tinge of excitement inside the stomach when warmth brushed his lips. He didn’t know what to do with them, or with the giddiness filing his bloodstream, so he just stayed still. Goosebumps travelled through his skin, and he flinched subconsciously.

That was so strange.

_He wanted to do this again._

They stopped the kiss after some seconds, and Satou straightened his posture. Hinata blinked to him, clueless as to what he should say, so both just stared silently.

Soon, gravity got them like a magnet and they kissed again.

Hinata had no idea what he was doing. Was it strange to hold Satou’s collar? Wasn’t their kiss a bit too sloppy? There probably was more saliva then it should’ve been, and the sensation was very strange, but Satou taught him slowly as they got caught in a chain of breathing and pressing lips again.

When they bid goodnight and Hinata entered the apartment, he felt like he was ten years older and on verge of a heart attack.

He sighed heavily, sitting down at the entrance and pressing both hands to his cheeks. Goodness, goodness. That was nice.

 _Gwaa_ , his chest told him, excited, exhilarated.

He kept over the moon for the rest of the time that took for Kageyama to get back from his rut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again :D
> 
> And that was the third chapter. What do you think so far? Did you like Hinata's little romance? And Kageyama's rut scene? How do you think Kageyama will react once he hears abour this little thing going on between Hinata and his U20 friend?  
> I should say, I picked U20 as the professional team for Kageyama's career when I started writing this fic in 2018. Actually, U20 teams are common in my country, but I don't understand much of volleyball, much less of volleyball in Japan, so I am sorry if it sounds strange uahsuah.  
> I changed a lot of other parts of this chapter. In the first version, Hinata didn't accept Satou's invitation to go out, and Kenma never visited him, but I decided to make him accept it, so that Hinata knows a little bit more about romance before he gets to Kageyama :)) Also, it's a plot point for Kageyama himself, but you'll see it later. I was a little bit worried that you may hate this because he's meddling with the OTP and all, but I hope you all can understand UAHUASH. Also, Satou is not actually a very nice person, so don't worry about him getting in the way too much aushauhsuahs  
> It was a real challenge to depict this kind of relationship, as an ace person, I don't really understand this crush concept very well, but some friends explained it to me and I did my best, so I hope it's not so lame AHSUAHSU.
> 
> Thank you all for reading! The feedback I've received in the last chapters was amazing, I am very delighted to see so many people enjoying this story! You're all awesome!  
> Next chater will come out in February 2nd, see you then!


	4. When I was asked out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No, I’ll wait for Satou-kun,” Shouyou told him, indicating the changing room door with the head. “You go on first.”  
> “Oh, you’re waiting for him,” Kageyama mumbled, burrowing his hands in the pockets of his jersey. Hinata nodded when he kept silent for too long.  
> “Are you sure you’re okay?”  
> “I’m okay, okay?” Kageyama spit, narrowing his eyes to the ginger. “Do whatever you want, see you later.”

When Kageyama got back from his rut, he was a mess and looked really exhausted.

Hinata was on suppressants for two weeks and it was working wonders, so one of the first things he told the omega, during their lunch together, was:

“You don’t have a smell anymore.”

It wasn’t a question, but Hinata answered anyways: “Yes, the suppressants take care of the scent too.”

Kageyama looked at him suspiciously behind his sandwich, as if something bothered him, but then after a while he just shrugged it away and continued eating.

Hinata wondered if he should tell him about the things with Satou. They would have another date that week, so Kageyama would hear about this sooner or later, but it’d probably be better if he heard it from Hinata and not from the blond. They were friends for longer, after all.

He put his sandwich back on his plate, twitching his lips as he wondered the best way to break the news, then decided to just do whatever.

“I’m going out with Satou.”

Kageyama coughed so loudly that Hinata almost jumped from his sit. He stared at the setter wide-eyed as he continued to cough, hitting his chest as if it would help somehow.

“You’re _what_?” he spit as soon as he stopped coughing, the eyes wet with tears.

“I’m seeing Satou. Your teammate, you know?”

“I _know_ who Satou is,” Kageyama mumbled, looking down at the table with restless eyes. It was like he wasn’t seeing a thing, but just couldn’t help looking around. Maybe an answer would pop up for him to take. “But you seeing each other, that is…”

“Like a couple,” Hinata elaborated, watching as Kageyama continued to look at his sandwich with a strange face. “Are you okay? I know it must sound strange and all, but…”

“No, no. It’s okay,” Kageyama told him, averting his gaze back up to the ginger. He cleaned his throat, taking a hold of his sandwich again and resuming eating silently. Hinata considered it a small victory.

He wasn’t sure what reaction he had expected from Kageyama. It was probably very uncomfortable for him to have two close friends going out. Hinata thought so, if he had two friends and they got involved, he’d feel left behind. And especially on his case, because they were living together, he didn’t want Kageyama to feel strange because of this. Maybe he should give him some more attention and stay alert.

It turns out that what happened was the exact opposite of such.

As he started to take the suppressants, he’d not have heats anymore, and would not be influenced by the pheromones of others, though he could still scent them. That all happened because it decreased his hormone levels, and that by itself had some side effects.

Apparently, the decrease in the hormones had a negative effect on his metabolism, so he felt tired easily and put on weight. It was terrible for an athlete, but probably better than having heats, so Hinata decided he should put up with it to continue playing regularly.

The thing is, Kageyama, that blind and self-centered idiot, seemed to notice it somehow. Maybe it was Hinata’s fault, because he kept on talking about it nonstop? Well, whatever. Kageyama took notice of it, and so, opposite to everything Hinata would’ve expect, he started to try and sooth him.

It started with bringing snacks home. Hinata was drowning his sorrows in sweet buns, _dango_ and soft drinks. Food _did_ get his mood a lot better, yeah, bull’s eye. It was very counter-productive though — eating more would make him put on even more weight.

Kageyama’s next gifts included soft blankets. When he appeared with the first one, decorated with reindeers and Christmas theme, Hinata laughed and hugged it to his face. Gosh, it was summer, why would Kageyama bring blankets home?

“Dunno,” Kageyama told him when asked, shrugging and zapping Netflix back to his horror series. Hinata pouted, burrowing his face in one of the cute reindeers. “I just looked at it and felt like I should take it.”

“Maybe it’s instinct,” Satou gave his own input when Hinata told him about it some days later. The blond twitched his lips and sipped his mochaccino as they climbed the stairs of Hinata’s apartment slowly after their date.

“Instinct?” Hinata echoed, raising his eyebrows.

“Yeah. An alpha would typically try to appease a close omega in distress,” the blonde explained. “And blankets are common gifts. Omegas usually like soft blankets to build their nests, right?”

“Wow, you do know a lot,” Hinata praised, looking up to the last staircase roll and imagining Kageyama filling their little home with blankets and pillows. “That’s nice, I guess. It _did_ make me feel better.”

“Hm.” Satou took another sip of his beverage, seeming to be deep in thought. “How long have you two been friends? Are you two childhood friends?”

“Nah, we met during the last year of junior high,” Shouyou told him, reminiscing the old times with a laugh. “And we didn’t get along at all. It took us a while to befriend.”

“And now you’re best friends.”

“I guess?” Hinata pouted. “I have other close friends, but Kageyama is special in his own way. He’s the only one I’d share an apartment with, for example.”

“Yeah, you must be close to someone to become roommates,” the blond agreed as they reached Hinata’s floor.

“Well,” Shouyou started, smiling. “Today was nice again, thanks.”

“I’ve enjoyed myself too,” Satou confessed, taking a step closer and reaching for his hand. Hinata stood on his toes, already used to their parting kisses.

After going out for some weeks now, he was already used to this. At first, everything was new and magical, now it was more on the routine side. Kissing was still nice, but it wouldn’t make him feel goosebumps or curl the toes. Those fun sensations were gone, sadly, but that was fine. That’s probably how it worked — they’d get used to each other and stick to a routine.

They were on the second kiss when the door opened with a _ban_ behind them. Both separated, turning their head to see a surprised Kageyama. The setter stared at the two for some seconds before talking:

“Wow, you’re finally back, dumbass,” he complained, crossing his arms with a pout. “I was wondering if you had died or something, that’s late.”

“C’mon, it’s still eight,” Hinata retorted, untangling himself from Satou. “We’d still be practicing at this time if we were in Karasuno.”

“At least it would’ve been something useful.” The alpha rolled his eyes. “Speaking of which, I’ve got something for you.”

“A pillow?” Hinata suggested, but he smiled anyways while Kageyama looked for something in the pockets of his jacket.

“Close enough,” he said, but then he produced a small paper from the pocket, showing it to the omega. “It’s an entrance to U20’s exhibition match next Sunday.”

“Oh!” Shouyou jumped closer, taking the ticket from Kageyama’s hand. “ _That’s so cool!_ I’ll see you and Satou-kun!”

He turned to the blond, who stepped closer, inspecting the ticket as well. “That’s nice.”

“Right?” Hinata agreed, looking up at the setter again. “Thank you, Kageyama!”

“Well, that was nothing,” Kageyama dismissed his words, averting his gaze. Hinata laughed again. That was totally nice! Snacks and volleyball matches were everything he needed to recover his good mood.

When Sunday came, the weather was getting hotter because of the summer, so Hinata put on his favorite shorts and a white shirt and marched to the stadium. It wasn’t so crowded because there was a little bit of time before the game started, so he got to his seat and waited not so patiently.

The game was _so_ nice! The players of the other country had a totally different style compared to Japan, and he could see it close and take note of each special move they made. This was professional, his goal, after all. He wished to get there, and there wasn’t a better way to know what he should do than to watch what the people that succeeded were doing.

Kageyama was particularly brilliant this game. He seemed to lose his cool in the beginning, but soon after got back on track and won two sets in a roll. Hinata shouted every now and then, feeling his heart thumping like crazy. It was so cool!

When the game ended, he rummaged to the changing room. Of course he wasn’t allowed in this area, so he just stayed the closest the staff would let him, waiting for Kageyama and Satou to get out. They would have to, sooner or later, anyway. He took his phone from the pocket and started sending messages to his teammates from the college and Karasuno to tell them about the game and how amazing it was, and how fired up he was, but, before he could run his whole contact list, someone called his name from the distance:

“Hinata?”

The omega raised his head, recognizing Takahashi Ryuuya, one of Kageyama’s friends who went to visit him often. He got closer and told the staff to let him in since he was acquainted to the players.

“Thank you!” Hinata said, tip toeing all the way to the changing room while the alpha smiled to him.

“So, you came to watch our game?”

“Yeah, Kageyama gave me a ticket,” he explained, and then proceeded to tell him all the cool parts of the game until they reached their destination.

Hinata turned the doorknob excitedly.

He was about to shout Kageyama’s name when Takahashi took a hold of him and pulled him away from the door with an alarmed expression. “Guy, you should wait outside.”

“Didn’t you bring me here so I’d enter?”

“No.” He shook his head. “All the team is changing; you should wait here. Maybe you’re used to Kageyama and Kouji naked, but the rest won’t find it so—

“K-Kageyama and Satou-kun naked?” Hinata echoed, feeling horrified. “ _Why’d I feel used to it?!_ ”

“What?” Takahashi blurted, looking at him as if the omega had two heads. “Okay, maybe because one is your school teammate, and the other is your boyfriend?”

“Wait, no, no, no.” It was Hinata’s turn to shake his head repeatedly. “We’re not dating.”

“You’re not dating?” Ryuuya frowned. Then he seemed to pale. “Oh, you’re not dating.”

“No,” Hinata repeated. “And I don’t see Kageyama naked, that’s strange. We didn’t have showers at school, so we just changed, no naked visions from hell there.”

That wouldn’t be a vision from hell, but he shouldn’t say that.

Damn, he shouldn’t even _think_ that.

Wait, he should focus on what’s important: why would the U20 player think he was dating Satou?

“I’ll go in, then,” Takahashi told him, scratching his cheek. “You wait here, soon they’ll come out.”

“Okay…”

Kageyama appeared at the door some minutes later, too dressed considering that it was melting hot outside. Hinata shivered just from looking at his jerseys.

“Wow, what are you doing here?” he asked as soon as he spotted the omega in the corridor. “I hope you didn’t intend on barging into the changing room, idiot,” he added a second later. “Not everyone there would like you to see their butts.”

“I-I, I wouldn’t!” Hinata stuttered back, keeping silent about the part in which he was about to do exactly that if not for Takahashi’s interruption. He eyed Kageyama’s outfit again, changing the topic:

“Aren’t you hot?” he asked, gesturing to his clothes. The dark-haired alpha shrugged.

“I forgot to bring other clothes, it was chilly during the morning.”

“No, it wasn’t chilly during the morning,” Hinata informed him, frowning. “Are you okay?”

“Of course I’m okay.”

“I don’t believe what you say.”

“Look,” Kageyama started, exasperated, “are you heading home now or not? Let’s continue the stupid conversation while _walking_.”

“No, I’ll wait for Satou-kun,” Shouyou told him, indicating the changing room door with the head. “You go on first.”

“Oh, you’re waiting for him,” Kageyama mumbled, burrowing his hands in the pockets of his jersey. Hinata nodded when he kept silent for too long.

“Are you _sure_ you’re okay?”

“ _I’m okay_ , okay?” Kageyama spit, narrowing his eyes to the ginger. “Do whatever you want, see you later.”

And he left the corridor stomping.

Hinata wondered briefly if he should follow him. Kageyama didn’t seem so fine, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to let him walk home alone.

On the other hand, he wanted to talk to Kouji… This thing about them dating… It was strange.

Okay, honestly speaking Hinata had no idea at all of what he felt for the boy. He was just following the flow, but now that another possibility was put on the table, Hinata was feeling strange. People thought they were dating.

Somehow, he knew he _didn’t want_ people to think they were dating.

Satou was fun to talk to and all, but Hinata didn’t feel, you know, that _kyuu_ you feel when you like someone. He felt all _gwaa_ that they were kissing and touching and all but that was it.

He was on the middle of this internal debate when the door opened again and Satou peeked outside. “Oh, you’re still here!” he said, smiling.

“Yes, I was waiting for you,” Hinata told him, smiling in return while the blond let the door close behind him.

“I thought you’d have gone with Kageyama already.”

 _Yeah, I was thinking about it_ , Hinata thought. “I just wanted to compliment you. The game was nice, you all were so cool!”

“Wow, thanks.” Satou reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. “ Would you like to eat some cake now? We have time.”

“Hm.” Hinata looked down at their hands. He wanted to pull back. “Sounds nice.”

As they stepped outside, the urge to let go of him got stronger. For the first time, Hinata felt uncomfortable around him, though it was not Kouji’s fault. To add to that, as soon as the felt the hot air outside, Kageyama popped up on his mind again. The idiot was feeling cold, but it was probably close to thirty degrees Celsius out there. That was _insane_.

“Hm… Satou-kun,” he called, pulling his hand, wishing he could free it, “do you think Kageyama was okay today?”

“I didn’t notice anything wrong, why?” Kouji answered, looking at him curiously.

“He went out wearing jerseys, but it’s hot today,” Hinata told him, pouting. “That’s not normal.”

“Indeed.”

“I think I should go home to check on him…” Hinata gave him an apologetic gaze as they stopped walking. “He might be sick.”

“He’s an adult, Hinata-san,” Satou argued, frowning to the ginger. “He knows how to take care of himself.”

“I know he does, but it’s still concerning,” the omega explained, averting his gaze. “I’ll go back, I’ll feel better if I check on him.”

“Hm, okay…” the blond mumbled, letting go of his hand with an unreadable expression.

It was not very nice of Hinata to use Kageyama as an excuse to get away from the blond, but he felt less bad about it when he got home to find Kageyama with a terrible expression thrown on the sofa doing something on his phone. He looked up to the entrance door when Hinata arrived. “Wow, you’re back earlier than I thought you would be.”

“Yeah, I wanted to check on you,” the ginger told him, taking his shoes off and proceeding to the couch. Kageyama frowned to him and was about to retort something when the omega reached a hand to his forehead and touched. “You’re definitely too hot. I think you have a fever.”

“A fever?” he mumbled, touching his forehead as soon as Hinata’s hand left it, as if he would be able to notice anything. “I’m not sure.”

It turns out that he did have a fever, which came from a cold. By dinner time Hinata could swear he was coughing and sneezing two times a minute. The fever went down, but he seemed terrible. Maybe they should go to the hospital…

He served soup for Kageyama to eat and sat down on the couch, pulling his cell phone from the pocket. He hadn’t looked at it for a while now, so he had some messages. He wanted to message Kenma and Suga to ask them about what happened earlier today, but the first messages were from Satou.

He could ignore it, he thought, but then he opened the chat by accident. _Very_ smart.

> **[18h53] Satou:** is Kageyama ok?

Hinata twitched his lips. It was nothing serious, so he decided to answer now.

> **[19h44]** **Hinata:** he’s got a cold
> 
> **[19h45] Satou:** oh, I see, so u were right
> 
> **[19h45]** **Hinata:** yep
> 
> **[19h45]** **Satou:** that’s too bad
> 
> **[19h46]** **Hinata:** he will get better soon, don’t worry
> 
> **[19h46]** **Hinata:** he’s taking medicine now and I think he’ll rest for the next days to recover faster
> 
> **[19h46]** **Satou:** can I talk to u about sth?

That made Hinata frown. Kouji never talked like this. Maybe he had sensed Hinata’s discomfort earlier? What should he do? Should he tell him to go ahead? Should he go cry on Kenma’s lap?

Hinata typed his consent, then sent a message do Kenma, but Satou answered first. Hinata hesitantly opened the chat after a couple of minutes.

> **[19h48]** **Satou:** don’t take me wrong, but I think it’s strange for u two to live together

Wow.

Okay, that was not what…

No, wait.

_What?_

> **[19h51]** **Hinata:** what????
> 
> **[19h51] Satou:** u know, alpha and omega living together. It’s not advisable, what if he has a rut?

“What the fuck?” Hinata couldn’t stop himself from saying out loud. Kageyama peeked from the dining table, blinking confused.

“Something happened?” he asked, slurred.

“Satou’s talking nonsense,” Hinata mumbled, letting one hand go through his hair. How should he answer that? He had never seen that coming, it had nothing to do with anything that happened before.

Maybe Kouji was overthinking that thing about Hinata leaving earlier to see Kageyama? Okay, that didn’t have anything to do as well.

> **[19h52]** **Hinata:** If he does have a rut, we’ll do exactly as we did the last time???? Stop with the nonsense, Kageyama would never do anything bad to me
> 
> **[19h53]** **Satou:** have u ever seen an alpha in rut? It’s difficult to maintain control
> 
> **[19h55]** **Hinata:** if u think Kageyama could do something to me that I don’t agree to, then u don’t know him at all. He’s not like those cheap alphas who take advantage of others and blame it on hormones. I was home when his last rut was triggered and he didn’t do anything to me
> 
> **[19h56]** **Hinata:** And if all you know is alphas who “lose control” when in rut, then you must not be so different from them in the end

He sent that last message with such wicked irritation that Kageyama asked him what was going on again.

“That stupid Satou was saying you’d attack me during rut,” he grumbled, throwing the phone away and glaring at it. “He was saying we shouldn’t live together.”

“Wow, he’s the first one to go against it,” Kageyama mumbled. Hinata frowned at him. He was expecting the alpha to get angry; he’d usually get madder with much less. Maybe the medicine was getting him confused and appeasing his usual temper. “Everyone else was the opposite.”

“He’s an idiot,” the ginger murmured, crossing his arms and pouting.

Later on, when he sent a print of the messages to Kenma, he was answered with his typical humor:

> **[23h11]** **Kenma:** After this, he’s probably never talking to you again
> 
> **[23h11]** **Kenma:** If he does, call him an asshole on my behalf

Hinata couldn’t help but laugh at that.

So that was it? He had that little romance, and it was over… Hm, well, he had seen something like this before, someone says something bad and the couple breaks up. The experience was okay, though. Now Hinata knew what it was like to go out with someone…

Hinata told Kageyama the next day, since he looked a lot better than before.

“Satou and I had an argument yesterday.”

“Oh, wow,” Kageyama said back, raising his eyebrows to the ginger. Hinata twitched his lips. “I kind of heard you complaining about it?”

“I don’t think we’ll see each other anymore.”

“Oh.” This time he looked surprised, blinking to the omega in astonishment. “You’re not going to go out anymore? Was it a serious fight?”

“Yes.” Hinata pouted, looking down at his breakfast. “He was totally rude! He doesn’t trust my judgement, nor did he trust you, his friend. I don’t like that”.

“I see…” Kageyama murmured, seemingly deep in thought. He had a troubling expression; Hinata was unable to read it.

“What’s that?” he asked, gesturing to the setter’s face. Kageyama averted his gaze, coughing.

“Nothing,” he said.

The next day, he came back with a pillow, arranging it on Hinata’s favorite spot of the couch with ease. When asked about it, he did not say anything, but the omega wondered if it were the hormones kicking in again — maybe he wanted to sooth him after he “broke up”?

Well, Shouyou didn’t feel bad about it, but he kept hugging the pillow while watching TV anyways — who was he to disregard a gift, after all?

After their talk, Hinata never talked to Satou again. Kageyama never brought the blond back home with him either. Some months later, Hinata discovered that he had already reached twenty years, thus, he couldn’t participate in the U20 anymore.

One week after their disastrous conversation, Hinata was waiting excitedly for the summer training camp of his university team.

It was a Saturday night, two days before his trip, and Shouyou was hugging Kageyama’s new collection of blankets on his sofa watching something questionable on Netflix. Everything for the trip was properly sorted already, so he just had to relax and get over the excitement.

Kageyama was nowhere to be seen, as had been happening for a while now. Hinata couldn’t blame him, the next U20 tournament was getting closer; Kageyama was training like crazy these days.

He slipped down the couch, pouting to himself and feeling lonely. The novel he was watching wasn’t fun at all, and the protagonist was boring. He couldn’t pay much attention to it anyways.

He most probably dozed off, because, next thing he noticed, the couch was moving and there was a hot body beside his. Hinata blinked his eyes open, feeling dizzy, and turned the head to see Kageyama pouting to the television with his Japan jerseys.

Hinata just turned back to the TV, yawning and trying to pay attention. That was to no avail, in the end, he concluded, as he woke up later with a scream on the TV. His head was over a warm shoulder, and an arm behind his back was caressing his frame fondly over the blankets.

He pouted, examining the dark scene playing on TV. “You’ve changed my show.”

“Of course, that shit was boring.” He had no argument to counter that; it was, indeed, boring. He couldn’t even remember the name of the show. “This one is much better.”

“You don’t even jump when someone screams anymore,” the ginger accused him, sitting straight and yawning again. “Not to mention the ketchup.”

“C’mon, it’s very realistic,” Kageyama complained, giving him a side-glance.

“As realistic as your chances of winning the Inter-college with my team playing, you mean?” he provoked, laughing when Kageyama frowned at him, loosing track of his horror show.

“You mean to say one hundred percent realistic then,” he sentenced, glaring at him.

“We both know my team will kick your ass at the next tournament.”

“Just keep on dreaming of it.” Kageyama snorted, rolling his eyes.

He grabbed the remote control, rewinding the series after their conversation. Some silent minutes hearing screams, and Hinata decided to go nap in his room instead, but Kageyama’s hand on his back held him down before he could get up.

“Are you okay?” Kageyama asked. It was a mere whisper, but Hinata felt the weight of these words as the mood changed.

He turned his face to the alpha, smelling his scent all over his hair, and looked at his expression. He held a serious demeanor, the eyes a piercing cobalt looking to Hinata’s in a side-glance. There was something there Hinata couldn’t quite grasp — between all Kageyama’s temper and rough responses, he had always held good intentions, and, after years together, it got easier to read between the lines.

This time, Hinata couldn’t crack it.

“I’m okay,” he answered instead. “If it’s about Satou, I don’t really mind. It was fun, but it’s over now. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m not worried.” Kageyama seemed to dislike his word choice, glaring at him right after, somewhere between angry and troubled. Hinata smiled, wondering if he should mock him about it, but decided otherwise after some seconds, changing the topic.

“You should tell me when you go out as well,” he suggested. Kageyama coughed in return.

“ _What?_ ”

“You know, if you have dates or something of the kind.”

“Oh. Hm. I will, if I have one,” Kageyama agreed, avoiding elaborating.

They never talked about it again, and Hinata wondered if it was because Kageyama really didn’t have an invitation or if he had and just didn’t take him seriously.

Which he probably should? They were friends for years now, there wasn’t any reason why Kageyama wouldn’t tell him about his love life.

He had wondered about it in the past. Kageyama wasn’t interested in romance, right? When he had asked him in the past, he had just said that he would leave the future to the future, even though it was really vague. Hinata wasn’t sure if he was unpopular or what, he had the looks and the talent, but maybe that gross personality got in the way? Or maybe he was asexual? He didn’t ask anyways — Kageyama would tell him if he wanted to.

Hinata’s time to prove his statement that he would kick Kageyama’s ass in a competition came soon after.

It was their first university tournament and Hinata was really excited! Tokyo would have two representatives in the Nationals, but the location of the games was the same — naturally, they went together.

Kageyama was wearing his college’s jersey this time, the green and black color standing out and making Hinata tease him. It didn’t match the alpha, he thought; Kageyama’s colors were blue and black, not green. Hinata’s jersey, on the other hand, was of a pretty purple color.

The ginger couldn’t help getting curious about Kageyama’s uniform under the jersey all the way to the gym. When they entered together, tough, the commotion caught his attention.

Everyone was so big! It was very different from high school, the players were more muscular and scarier, but something else was different, and that was what made him blink in surprise when they entered the place.

The smell.

When in high school, no one could take suppressants, because they were all under eighteen, so the tournaments always had these confusing mixed scents. At least that was what hormonal teenagers smelled of, but in college things were very different.

Almost everyone already took suppressants, but the ones who didn’t could control their smells just fine. The scent permeating the air wasn’t one of uncertainty anymore. It irradiated strength.

It sent shivers down his spine.

“Hey, are you okay?” Kageyama asked, tugging at his sleeve and shaking it a little to regain his attention. Hinata focused on him, dumbstruck, and breathed through his mouth to get rid of these scents.

“Just surprised,” he said finally, looking around while the alpha raised his eyebrows, seeming unconvinced.

“Hinata!” a voice called from afar, getting his attention.

Hinata turned around, Kageyama following his gaze in the direction of the captain of his team, who was waving excitedly from the other side of the entrance hall.

“Oh!” Hinata blurted, smiling widely. For a moment, he was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the competition, but seeing his team made him feel relieved. It would be just like training.

He was in very good terms with his college team, in fact. Hinata wouldn’t expect that seeing as omegas weren’t always welcome in sports, but the team received him with compliments about his performances in high school and he was part of that new family pretty soon. Though maybe they would never be like Karasuno, and the setter would never make him feel like Kageyama did, it was still comfortable and felt right.

He turned to the setter, smiling at his frown. “I’ll go there, see you at the court, Kageyama!”

Kageyama looked at him, his blue eyes intense, and just nodded before letting go of his sleeve.

It wasn’t exactly true, the next time Hinata saw him was when Kageyama was on the court and Hinata’s team had just won their second game and went to watch someone else’s.

The alpha’s team was having trouble with their opponents, who were said to be one of most likely to win the tournament this year.

However, Kageyama was still shining with his undeniable talent. When he did a particularly incredible set, one of Hinata’s teammates exclaimed in excitement:

“This setter of yours is really _incredible_!”

Hinata smiled at him. “ Of course he is, that bastard Kageyama is the best.”

Hinata’s eyes went to the source of noise at the other side of the court — there was cheering, clearly a large group of students of Kageyama’s university, judging by their clothes and the posters and flags they held midair.

At the moment, while Kageyama prepared to serve, they were repeating his name, all eyes fixed on him.

Hinata felt somewhat strange.

During their years in Karasuno, they had had some cheering as well — on the second and third years, that is, after their school got popular on the sport. The university that had given Kageyama a scholarship was one of the best of the country, so it was only natural that they would have cheering. It was normal.

He sighed, turning his attention back to the setter and keeping it that way during the whole game.

He kept feeling restless during all the others games until his and Kageyama’s teams were selected to the Nationals. And when his team asked him to go out to party, he just excused himself, sure that he was sick.

It was almost nighttime after all the games and people were packing and leaving. Hinata parted ways with his team at the entrance, turning back and going inside to look for Kageyama. While he crossed the entrance hall, he could still smell that scent of the morning, the pheromones saturating the air now heavier because of the sweat. His eyes connected with some people on his way to the cafeteria, where Kageyama said the team would be after the games.

And there they were, all green and black with their jerseys. He recognized Kageyama immediately, even though he was turning the opposite way. He was sat and leaning on the counter, seeming tired, and the hair in his nape took Hinata’s attention while he talked with someone.

Hinata recognized the captain of his team while he walked in their direction, trying his best to put on a smiling face for the setter. When he was close, the eyes of Kageyama’s captain fell on him, and he said something, probably catching the setter’s attention, for he turned around and looked Hinata up and down.

“Kageyama,” he greeted, halting to a stop by the alpha’s side.

“Hey,” Kageyama answered, pouting as habitually and reaching a hand to Hinata’s wrist. “You’ll go out with your team?”

“Nah, they just went to the shopping center,” the ginger explained, laughing lightly. “I’ll go home, I just wanted to stop by and ask if you’re going anywhere.”

“We’re going to a restaurant,” Kageyama’s captain explained, smiling kindly. “Maybe you’d like to join us?”

“The idiot eats too much, he would take our share,” Kageyama teased, pointing in Hinata’s direction with his free hand.

“Hey, what’s that, you jerk?” the middle blocker complained, narrowing his eyes to him. “You talk as if you didn’t eat like an elephant every meal.”

“’m bigger, I have to eat more,” Kageyama hissed back.

“It doesn’t mean you have to get fat.”

Okay, that was a lie, there was no way Kageyama and his perfect abs were putting weight anytime soon.

The arguing continued until a light laugh and a scream interrupted them:

“Look, Kageyama’s holding hands with an omega!”

By that time, Kageyama had his other hand on Hinata’s locks and Hinata was pushing his chin to the other side. Both stopped, looking in the direction of one of the tables, in which another teammate of Kageyama’s was laughing at them. The hand in his wrist, that the alpha grasped so naturally when he got closer, suddenly felt heavier.

“And he’s the one that jumps really high too!”

The omega blinked at him. Okay, he was already used to people talking about how they were an alpha and omega going around each other, but someone praising him like that was pretty unusual.

Kageyama’s hands let go of his hair and wrist, but Hinata continued to look at the boy who got up and went to greet him excitedly.

“I saw your jumps, you were amazing, man! Will you go eat with us? We can talk! Oh, I’m Izumi Eiji, by the way.”

At first, because of his height and appearance, Hinata thought he was a beta, but soon after he approached, he could smell that sweet scent so characteristic of omegas.

It was a rare sight these days. Kageyama had an omega teammate!

“He said he was going home,” Kageyama told the new boy, who almost immediately wilted in disappointment. Hinata lifted his hands, smiling at him. “Maybe I could grab a bite any other time?”

“Really? You should visit us at the university!” the boy said.

“I should,” Hinata agreed. He would do so right now if he still didn’t feel strange. “I’m Hinata Shouyou. It’s nice to meet you.”

The setter must have noticed his abnormal behavior, since he grabbed his wrist again right after this phrase, frowning at him.

“Are you alright?”

To which the omega shrugged.

“I feel kinda strange.”

Those blue eyes were inquiring over his for some seconds before the alpha got up from his stool at the counter and turned to his captain.

“I’ll go home with Hinata. We can go out next weekend?”

Hinata’s eyes widened at that, and he raised his free hand in protest. “You can go on, idiot. What are you doing?”

“It’s not wise to go out alone when you’re not well,” Kageyama answered simply, and the way he frowned at Hinata made him swallow up all his other excuses.

When they got back home that night and Hinata fell on his bed, tired, he was feeling something warm inside his belly. It always happened when Kageyama was strangely kind to him…

The alpha was naturally ill-tempered and rude, but sometimes he was so sweet it made him melt. Hinata knew of it already, but it still made him feel all warm and happy inside.

In the Nationals, two surprising things happened in an impressive roll.

First: Hinata’s team lost before Kageyama’s, but they never had a chance to face each other. And that was unbelievable! What happened to his promise of facing the setter and crushing him all the way to hell? What the fuck, he would really have to bet on those ten or twenty years he had sworn.

Second thing: some professional headhunter noticed him during the tournament, and he was invited to the U20.

_Fucking invited to the U20!_

Hinata literally fainted when he received the call. He was in Miyagi for the weekend, but soon after hearing the news and regaining his senses, he stormed all the way to Kageyama’s house and shouted to his face that he was now a U20 player as well.

To say Kageyama’s eyes were as big as the moon would be an understatement.

He had probably just had lunch when Hinata turned up there, because he smelled of food when the ginger entered the house after Kageyama’s beta mother, Saeko, opened the door. He sprinted to the living room, where he found the alpha sitting on the couch watching TV, and put his hands on his shoulders.

“Kageyama, I’ll go to the U20 too!” he announced, watching the way Kageyama’s expression changed to fit his feelings.

First, he was surprised, then he seemed to reason what had happened, and finally he smiled, that characteristic challenging smile of his.

“Welcome, dumbass.”

Hinata laughed at that, feeling the other’s hands going over his on his shoulders and squeezing lightly. The warmth spread on the back of his hands, as well as Kageyama’s scent.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

“Should I go for a walk and let you two celebrate?” Saeko asked, smiling at the two from the entrance corridor. Hinata raised his eyebrows to her perfectly blue irises. It wasn’t the first time Kageyama’s beta mother insinuated something was going on between them, and it wouldn’t be the last as well. He let go of Kageyama’s hands and moved to take a step backwards but lost his balance.

Kageyama should’ve noticed it, since he reached his hands to Hinata, calling his name, and the next thing he knew, he had his face on the setter’s collarbone,, and firm arms were circling his waist to maintain him in place.

He put his hands on the alpha’s chest, registering their position, and pulled away slightly, looking up to Kageyama’s face.

Maybe that was a bad move.

He was _really_ close.

Their noses brushed and Hinata could see the cobalt hue of his eyes clearly. A warm breath hit his chin, eliciting shivers on the skin. He could feel the warmth around his waist, the skin tingling and giving him the urge to curl his toes. 

He wasn’t moving away, and neither was Kageyama, the orbs fixed on his brown ones with shock. Their breaths mixed in the air between them in a quiet invitation.

The sound of the front door closing took the two back to reality, and Hinata got up, sitting still at the farthest position possible from the setter for the rest of the visit, and, when he went back home that night, he went straight for a bath, feeling cold and, at the same time, inexplicably hot.

Hinata was no idiot, no, so he couldn’t simply ignore what had just transpired between them and the implications it had on his body. He filled the tub and went inside, soaking himself with hot water, and sighing when he noticed it didn’t make the discomfort inside him subside.

When he closed his eyes, breathing deeply on the steamed air, the only thing he could see behind his eyelids were Kageyama’s eyes, _so close_.

A weight around his waist.

Okay, he decided, groaning. He had already come to terms with the fact that Kageyama was gorgeous. He was attractive, but Hinata knew that nothing would come from this — they were friends, after all, and nothing more.

Also, Kageyama had told Satou that things weren’t like this between them, and _why the hell could Hinata remember that_?

He always got too fixed on unimportant stuff.

That was it, he had wanted to kiss Kageyama when they got closer, okay, he could admit that. But he _didn’t_ kiss him. And Kageyama didn’t as well.

End of the story.

Hinata shouldn’t even think like that! He should just forget. Why couldn’t he forget?

Well, he would forget soon, he told himself. Once he entered the U20, he would have a lot of other things to fret about, and there would be no space at all to let his mind wander back to Kageyama’s abs under his palms on that spring day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there!  
> So we're back :DDD What did you think of this chapter? What do you think Hinata is gonna do about this situation at the end? And Kageyama, what about his reaction, was it like you had thought? :3c What do you think he thought of during this chapter? It will all be explained in detail later, but I tried to give you some clues :3c  
> So, things are over with Satou. That was quick UAHUHAUSH. Sorry if you expected something more, love triangles are not quite my thing, and I think the plot point was reached with only two chapters, so I'm satisfied. Also, I'm sorry about last chapter, I said in the notes he wasn't a nice person UAHUSHAS. I don't like him very much because I knew what he was going to do, but he was not a villain, sorry if I gave you guys that impression xD I'll pay more attention to the spoilers I give in notes UAHUSHAUSHAUS. I hope his argument with Hinata was convincing, I'm not good in writing desagreements, but I did my best :)  
> Also, news! [voidyspace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/voidyspace) has made Kageyama and Hinata's apartment model in The Sims! It's so cute, I'm love with it :')) It also made me realize that they are just poor university students and shouldn't have a flat with two suites, so now they have only one bathroom UAHUSHAUSH. Check out the prints of the apartment [here](https://imgur.com/a/xY4SeZ4)
> 
> Well, that's it. As always, thank you all for reading! The comments last chapter were amazing :))) I'm so happy that so many people are enjoying it! See you guys 02/16 :))


	5. When I realized my feelings for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m glad you like it,” Kageyama gave in, then, as his eyes went up to Hinata’s, cobalt-hued and sparkling under the dim light of the room, his lips spread in a soft smile.  
> Hinata lost track of anything else as his chest squeezed.

Two weeks after his eighteenth birthday, at the beginning of the year, Kageyama’s newly acquired suppressants kicked in.

It meant, among other things, that he wouldn’t have a scent anymore. And that was bad. Very, very bad, for a very simple reason: Hinata was crazy about Kageyama’s smell.

He would’ve been ashamed to use “crazy about something” in the past, but there was no way to deny the truth: he did like Kageyama’s woody scent more than usual. Before you start to think it is strange and conclude something wrong about Hinata, he had done his fair share of research: there was a lot in science to back him up when he said that it was _perfectly normal to like the fragrance of an alpha_. It was made to be liked, okay?

So, back on track, he had always loved his wood scent. It was like a warm blanket that wrapped around him when he was home, because their apartment smelled of Kageyama everywhere, even in Hinata’s room.

And that wonderful scent was gone after the New Year’s.

To say Hinata was annoyed would be an understatement.

He was sulking during the first two days. It sunk in on a Friday night, when Kageyama came out of the shower and sat beside him on the sofa to read the volleyball magazine over Shouyou’s shoulder, and he _just_ smelled of alpha shampoo and soap. Firstly, Hinata stiffened, hyperaware of the warmth by his side. Ever since that day at Kageyama’s house, his mind would wander back to the hand on his waist and the breath kissing his lips, getting him nervous all over again. If Kageyama noticed he had been feeling strange, he was doing an amazing job of not showing it (so he probably did not notice anything, yeah).

Hinata took his eyes off the magazine to look at his damp hair and wet skin, breathing deeply to try and find some note of wood, but there was none.

“I can’t believe you don’t have a smell anymore,” he complained the next day, pouting while Kageyama’s scent was washed away from the apartment with their cleaning, the smell of detergent and lavender getting its place.

“Duh, that’s the purpose of the suppressants,” Kageyama mumbled, looking at him like he was an idiot. Hinata hissed back:

“I know! But it’s annoying.”

“What’s the matter? Life is much simpler when we don’t have to worry about our secondary genders.”

“You…” Hinata frowned, looking at him suspiciously. “You really didn’t want to be an alpha, uh?”

“I’ve already told you that,” Kageyama said, mopping their dining table slowly, his hair swinging over the forehead with the movement. While he spoke, Hinata followed his locks with the eyes, ignoring the urge to pet it. “It’s a pain in the ass, the ruts are terrible, and I’m better off without it. I wish I could be a beta.”

Hinata was about to say he wished he could be an alpha on his place, but he shut up when he realized he _didn’t_.

Almost three years after presenting, he was proud of his status as an omega. At first, it was strange and uncomfortable, but now he was comfortable with it, could identify himself with it and it became a natural to him.

“It’s only biology, Kageyama, it doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to,” Shouyou told him, smiling to the setter, warm and cozy and feeling something happy inside him.

Kageyama twitched his lips. “It’s not like that.” And he elaborated once he sensed Hinata’s confused silence: “I don’t feel uncomfortable, if that’s what you’re thinking. I don’t _hate it_ per se. I just wish it would be less complicated, you see?”

“Hm.” The omega pouted, thinking about it. “So… you’re okay with seeing yourself as alpha?”

“Yeah,” he agreed, focusing back on his task. “But it will be better with the suppressants.”

Another change after that winter was that his training with the U20 finally started, which led to three other realizations.

First of all: he really missed being in the same team as Kageyama.

The way everyone looked at them when they performed their quick attack made him all proud and excited. He was anxious to try it during the real competitions!

Also, he missed the feeling of working together with the alpha. The way they shared a look and understood exactly what the other intended was something he couldn’t have with anyone else. They matched perfectly, as if they were meant to play together.

Second: the professional players were awesome.

Like, _really_ awesome.

So awesome he was benched most of the games of their first tournament, to his displeasure.

He observed the other players as much as possible. He knew some of them were Kageyama’s friends, and another half of them were of the strong teams he faced on the Nationals in high school, so he wasn’t all that lost.

And third: they were getting famous now.

Okay, the third one was obvious. Of course they’d be famous if they were appearing on TV, but Hinata hadn’t really thought about it.

“I’ve seen news about you!” Eiji told him three months after he entered the U20.

Eiji, in case you’ve forgotten, was that cute omega of Kageyama’s university team. After they had met for the first-time last year, Kageyama worked as the bridge to help them exchange phone numbers, and they had been talking ever since December. He was well-natured and easy to talk to, and Hinata felt good about having an omega friend in volleyball. Not that he hated alphas and betas, but it didn’t feel the same way.

“News?” Hinata asked, looking at him suspiciously from the other side of the couch. Eiji nodded, searching for it on his phone, then reading it aloud:

“ _Did you know that the new member of the U20 volleyball team is an omega? Hinata Shouyou, the surprising new star of the country, will give the world a run for its money,_ ” he read. Hinata felt his face getting hot, crawling closer to read over his shoulder while Eiji laughed. “The comments vary from people surprised by your skills to people saying you are cute. I guess you’ll be popular.”

“Popular? _Me?_ ” The ginger frowned.

“Well, yeah.” Eiji passed him the phone for him to check on it. “Everyone in country level is popular, you know.”

“Everyone?” Hinata echoed some minutes later. “Even that jerk Kageyama?”

“Kageyama is popular too,” Eiji agreed, taking his phone back. “C’mon, you know he’s pretty, everyone loves a pretty face.”

“Well, yeah, he’s pretty, but he keeps on frowning all the time,” Hinata countered, pouting.

“People are strange, they think it’s cool because it makes him seem mysterious or whatever,” Eiji replied, rolling his eyes. “People like him, but not as much as they like Ushijima of the national team.”

Hinata did check on it later, and, to his sincere surprise, there were indeed a lot of comments on Kageyama’s looks in Twitter. He frowned, reading as much as he could. They ranged from the color of his eyes to the abs, tanned, smooth skin and shiny hair to his “cute” pout and blunt answers.

None talked about his scent, though, and that made Hinata feel better for some reason.

Everything was going very smoothly with the U20 as well. He wasn’t able to play on their first games together but tried his best to take part in the first lineup after that.

That was _everything_ he could dream of.

All dreams, from exciting games to the travels. They went to other countries to play, and his mother was super proud of him whenever she called after his games. She watched him on television, and it was a constant now.

When Hinata turned nineteen that year, they were out of the country with the team, so he went out with the others to celebrate. Of course, none of them had legal age to drink, but they could still have fun in restaurants. When they came back, Hinata was disheveled and happy.

That time, he and Kageyama weren’t sharing a room.

Apparently when you are of a national team level, you deserve to have your own room.

Hinata couldn’t say he liked it that much.

It wasn’t like their apartment, in which each had their own room, but shared the common spaces constantly. At the same time, it wasn’t bad at all. If people were mocking them about living together, imagine what would happen if they started sharing rooms on other countries. Even the hotel staff would insinuate something, and Hinata wasn’t sure if his heart could take all that.

So, yes, though he would like to share a room with Kageyama, it was probably better for them to be separate this time.

It was only for a couple of days anyways. It wasn’t much, and enough for Hinata’s mind to be secure from all those strange sensations. Honestly, he wasn’t sure of what he could do to stop everyone’s insinuations from bothering him, but in the meanwhile, it was safe to continue like this.

When they got to their rooms and the other players wished him a good night, Kageyama was the only one left beside him on the corridor.

He was frowning and pouting, as if something serious was on his mind, and Hinata looked at him with curiosity for a while before wishing him a goodnight.

“Wait, idiot!” he called in the middle of the corridor, and, when Hinata turned to him again, his hand was midway to the ginger’s wrist. His eyes were serious and dark, instead of their usual blue hue, since they were indoors. “I…”

Hinata thought he would avert his gaze, but he gulped, blushed and stood in place. “I have a gift for you.”

“Ah?” the omega blurted, surprised. Kageyama proceeded to his backpack, pulling a small package with silver paper wrap from there and grabbing Hinata’s hand to put it on his palm.

“You…” Hinata raised his eyes to the alpha, who was still blushing. He felt his own heart thumping with the way Kageyama looked — _geez_ , did he wish to make the omega blush too? Why so stiff?

“Let’s go inside and open it!” he suggested, taking a step closer to the alpha, whose hand fell from the gift, leaving Hinata’s.

Kageyama leaned backwards, as if Hinata’s suggestion shocked him, and he blinked a couple of times before frowning and nodding.

The ginger gave him the gift back and proceeded to unlock his room’s door with shaking fingers. He turned on the lights and let Kageyama inside, closing the door behind the alpha and hearing the click that indicated it was locked.

Hinata’s room wasn’t big, but larger than his room back in Tokyo. He turned on the lights closer to the door, illuminating the television hanging from a green wall with a hack bellow where he had thrown some small stuff. To his right, the bathroom remained in mid darkness, and he left it like that, proceeding to the bed.

It was large and covered in white blankets, with his baggage right at the side, close to a small closet and a mini fridge. Kageyama sat on the bed, taking his shoes off and crossing his legs. Hinata followed him, sitting in front of the alpha and watching him place the gift between them.

The ginger looked nervously at Kageyama one more time before proceeding to unwrap the gift.

He shouted loudly when he pulled from inside a cute green insulated bottle that looked familiar.

“We’ve seen it the other day when we went to the mall to buy knee pads,” Kageyama explained, clearly avoiding his stunned gaze. “I remember you saying you’d like one of those to keep your coffee warm during classes…”

“That day!” Hinata exclaimed, and this caught his attention enough to make the alpha look at him again. Hinata could remember this visit, it had been some weeks ago. He had been very tempted to buy the bottle when he saw it, it was just cute and practical, but he gave up on it since he’d have to spend money on the knee pads already. And Kageyama had remember. “That’s going to be useful!”

“I’m glad you like it,” Kageyama gave in, then, as his eyes went up to Hinata’s, cobalt-hued and sparkling under the dim light of the room, his lips spread in a soft smile.

Hinata lost track of anything else as his chest squeezed.

He couldn’t stop thinking about that face during the night. The tip of his lips going up just slightly, so gentle and soft, totally unaware of the smile they were giving Hinata. The same hands that held his waist when he fell over him last year in Kageyama’s house. The same eyes that, wide, stared intently at Hinata’s when their breaths mingled between them.

Kageyama was popular, he told himself.

That was all strange.

Five weeks after that, Hinata parted to his training camp with the university.

It would be just four days away, but it was enough for Kageyama to look at him strangely all the morning while Hinata was preparing to leave. He even went to the trouble of waking up five in the morning without a reasonable excuse just so he could glare at the omega before he left.

“I’m done and I’m late, ah!” Hinata said, after putting all his belongings by the front door. Kageyama was watching him from the dining table, the face hovering above the bowl of cereal from which he had been eating without even looking at. He seemed tired and ill-tempered, and he growled when his eyes met Hinata’s. “I’ll be taking my leave then,” the omega said, quivering and turning to the entrance.

“Wait, you idiot,” Kageyama called, and Hinata heard the screech of his chair when he got up. The ginger turned around again, watching as he approached him with his unfriendly face, and the crease between his eyebrows. “You have rice on your cheek.”

Hinata blinked, and the next second he could feel a hand on his cheek, close to his mouth, removing the rice. He held his breath in as Kageyama looked at him from his height, the face covered in shadows that made his skin darker than it was.

“Don’t forget to call me at night,” he said simply, as if they had had any agreement on calling or anything like that, and Hinata looked at him dumbfounded for at least five seconds before leaving in a hurry because he was really late, and because he needed to put some distance between them after Kageyama touched his face.

That night, after the training, Hinata did feel like he had an obligation to call him. But, before he did that, he received a call from Sugawara.

“Oh, so you’re in a training camp! Sorry, I guess I picked a bad moment to call,” Suga apologized, his voice hurried. Hinata could hear other voices on the background, as if the honey-haired senpai was busy with something.

“Yeah…” he agreed, uncertain. “Don’t worry though, it’s okay, I can talk now.”

“I see…” Suga let the words linger in the air for some seconds. “So, how are the things going there? In Tokyo, in the U20, with the boys.”

Hinata laughed at that. “Okay, Tokyo is as busy as always, the U20 is scary, but I think I’m okay now, and there are no boys.”

“C’mon, no boys? I can still remember that last one, but it’s been months.”

“Yeah, it’s been a year already…” Hinata mused, twitching his lips. “Wow, wait, it’s been a year already? I didn’t even notice it had been this long.”

“Has it been a year already? Wow, I’m surprised as well. So it’s been a year and no one came up?”

“Yeah, no… I mean, crushes are always there…” Hinata twitched his lips, and the goosebumps he felt when he fell over Kageyama came back to mind again.

It had been months already; it was in the past… Still, differently from what had happened with the memories of Satou, Hinata could still feel things erupting inside him as he remember Kageyama touching him.

Tobio had just caught him because he was falling, come on. Hinata wasn’t a first grader… Still, something lit up inside him. Hands in his waist, blue eyes staring at his, as if they belonged there, looking at Hinata.

“Sugawara-senpai…” the ginger murmured. “Can I ask you something?”

“Well, of course.”

“What does it mean when an alpha starts to give you stuff? When I started to take my suppressants, I felt a little bit bad, and Kageyama started to give me stuff, and haven’t stopped ever since. Someone told me it could be instinct, I don’t know…” He laughed nervously.

“Oh, he’s been giving you stuff?” Suga interrupted, the voice curious. “It could be instincts, I guess? You’re close friends, so… What kind of gifts are we talking about?”

“Hm… Mostly food, blankets and pillows… We don’t need more blankets, but he keeps on getting fluffy ones, so I can’t really get angry at him for that.” He waited some seconds for the setter’s answer. “Sugawara-senpai?”

“Oh, hm, sorry! It’s just… Wow…”

“What’s the matter?”

“No, no, nothing,” he dismissed, the voice thoughtful. “It’s… definitely instincts. Maybe you should talk to him, and he can explain better?”

Hinata should probably talk to him. He should’ve talked to him from the start, instead of speculating about it with other people. That’s what friends do.

Somehow, he felt nervous about asking.

“Yeah…” Hinata pouted to himself, lying down on his futon and looking at the ceiling. “Okay… And the U20 has been just fine, I guess. I’ve played in some official games already, it was fun, and I like to travel, but the jet lag kind of makes the classes very difficult to get through.”

“Yeah, I can imagine,” Suga commented, his voice so light and happy again. “It must be fun but tiring.”

“Yeah, exactly that!” Hinata agreed, nodding his head to the ceiling. “The players are all awesome, I’m so excited! I miss you guys though. Karasuno was a whole other thing, we were a family.”

“We were a family,” Suga murmured, the voice amazed. “Speaking of which, can you please tell me your address in Tokyo?”

Hinata told him, surprised by the question, but clueless as to why he wanted to know it.

Three weeks later, he and Kageyama received an invitation to Suga’s and Daichi’s wedding ceremony.

When he read the contents out loud, Kageyama spit all his morning juice on the floor, and the two of them had to clean everything up with surprised whispers of ‘ _when that happened?’_.

The wedding would be in November, so before that they had another intercollege tournament.

This year, both Hinata and Kageyama were known players, since they were active members of the U20, so a lot of people whispered behind them wherever they went. Hinata wondered if it was like Kageyama felt last year, but he wasn’t uncomfortable at all with the attention.

Oppositely to his setter, Hinata loved to receive attention, so he had fun waving to people and being mentioned. Both his and Kageyama’s teams were selected as Tokyo’s representatives again this time, but, during the Nationals, the team that won was Hinata’s.

He fainted in the middle of their last game, so he didn’t see them winning.

When he opened his eyes, he saw a white ceiling, and, soon after, a pair of blue eyes.

Kageyama’s face was hovering over him in the blink of an eye, the face intense, and Hinata was still confused about his whereabouts when he felt the setter’s hand on his forehead.

“Are you alright?” the alpha asked, his voice worried. Hinata just blinked at him, feeling his head aching, and the setter turned around to call someone.

After that, a doctor got Hinata’s attention.

He asked him some simple questions and tested his body. Hinata sat up, feeling dizzy and with a stupidly strong headache. The doctor told him he had hit his head when he fell from one of his high jumps and that he probably had fallen because of low blood pressure, maybe caused by his feelings during the game.

It didn’t calm him down entirely.

“I don’t remember what happened with the game,” he said, anxious, turning to Kageyama, who twitched his lips and took a gold medal from his backpack.

“You won, dumbass. It’s a shame you couldn’t attend the ending ceremony.”

Hinata didn’t feel like he won at all. When they left the hospital, he barely paid attention to the recommendations the doctor told them. His coach joined the two someway in the conversation and sent Hinata off with some more instructions of his own, to which the omega didn’t pay attention as well. When they got home, he sat on their couch, pulling his legs to his belly and staring at the black screen of his television.

Kageyama sat beside him, the medal tingling in his hands. He had another one on the other hand, a bronze one. Hinata knew his team had lost in the semifinals, before they could face each other, but he couldn’t say he had finally won against Kageyama if they hadn’t even played against each other.

Kageyama raised both their medals, looking at the way they sparkled under the light.

“I know you’re disappointed that you couldn’t participate on the entirety of the last game, but you shouldn’t be,” he told the omega, his voice unexpectedly calm.

Hinata glared at him. “It’s frustrating. I couldn’t even stay with the team until the end. What a goddamn ace I am.”

“Oh, you’re the ace?” Kageyama asked, narrowing his eyes to the ginger, who averted his gaze immediately, because, hell, he wasn’t. He had never been the ace.

“You won that medal too. It’s part of being a fucking team to trust your comrades and let them do the work too. They trusted you until the finals. You won that medal together. Stop bitching,” he said, throwing the medal on Hinata’s lap. The ginger frowned to his television, pouting. He wasn’t bitching!

“I’m serious, Hinata, stop it,” Kageyama asked, apparently losing his cool after watching his reaction. “You won the tournament, what else do you want? Goddamn it!”

“Why are you—”

Hinata came to a stop when he heard a sniff. Looking at his side, he was surprised with the vision.

Kageyama’s face was all contorted in anger, the brows furrowed, and the mouth twitching. His eyes were swollen, a strange color of red around the blue-hued irises. He threw his medal on the floor, clearly impatient.

“First, I lose the fucking tournament, and then I go out from the third-place match just to hear the news that you hit your head during the game and were brought to the hospital unconscious. What a motherfucking day…”

“Hm…” Hinata let go of his legs, touching the feet to the floor again, the eyes glued to Kageyama’s demeanor. Okay, he had to admit he didn’t think about how he would be feeling at all.

Losing was always devastating for them both, and he knew it already. Kageyama was terrible at expressing his feelings, so, if he was acting like that, it meant he was really, really shaken.

“I’m sorry,” he said, turning his eyes down. He reached a hand out for Kageyama, petting his head fondly. “I’m sorry.”

The alpha just ignored him, keeping silent with his mixed feelings.

Hinata caressed his locks, though it clearly wasn’t helping, and he felt his heart clenching at that, because Kageyama was right to be shaken.

He had hurt his head.

He was so lucky it hadn’t been serious. He could’ve been worse, much worse, and that thought frightened him. At the same time, if a friend had hurt himself like that, of course he’d be worried too, like Kageyama.

Gosh, he had to send messages to his teammates. He had to thank them, to assure them everything was okay.

“I— I’m really sorry…” he said, his voice coming out as a whisper, so low he wasn’t sure if Kageyama could hear him. “But it’s going to be okay. It’s okay, Kageyama.”

Kageyama eyed him, the eyes bright. “You were goddamn lucky, you idiot.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You better not scare me like that ever again.” Kageyama ordered.

“I won’t,” Hinata mumbled, staring at the mat of the living room.

They had once slept over that mat, months ago. Things were always so chaotic… Whenever he found a pace, something would change, and everything would get confusing again.

Kageyama leaned closer, laying his head against Hinata’s shoulder, and they kept silent. His presence was heavy, but, at the same time, spread warmth inside the ginger, the feeling of being cared about.

Kageyama was a home, he had once concluded.

He wasn’t just a home. He was the warm welcome, he was the heartfelt embrace and the awaiting eyes. The reason to come back.

He was the person Hinata always thought of first, the person whom he wished to impress and also the person who would catch him whenever he fell.

That was nice.

After years, he could find something special. He wasn’t sure what this was all about, but he was very far from denying it.

Kageyama wasn’t the only special someone in Hinata’s life, he discovered as time passed.

After the incident in the Nationals, his mother invited him to go back to Miyagi to visit for the weekend. Normally Hinata wouldn’t go, it took so long to get there to stay for such a short time, but he decided to go this time, and Kageyama went as well, for whatever reason.

Natsu didn’t go receive him when he arrived.

That by itself was very strange. The fourteen-year-old would go around Shouyou whenever he was back, and he couldn’t deny he liked it — Natsu was so cute, he wanted to cuddle her all day!

(It’s the hormone’s fault, not his, okay?)

“You shouldn’t unpack,” Kageyama commented, watching from the bed while Hinata busied himself with looking for his toothbrush in the suitcase. “It’s just a day and a half.”

“Yeah, yeah” Hinata agreed, finally catching his hygiene case and shrugging. “I just simply can’t find anything unless I take everything out!”

“It’s because you always pack in a hurry,” Kageyama casually told him, shrugging as well. “Your bags must be a mess from hell.” Hinata felt his face getting hot.

“Hey, it’s not a mess from hell! Just from Tokyo is good enough.”

“Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that,” he teased, rolling his eyes.

“ _You_ ’re still here,” a voice interrupted the two.

Hinata, who was knelt on the floor taking everything out of his suitcase, looked up to see Natsu clinging to the doorframe. Her melted brown irises were hard as wood as they made their way to Kageyama, unamused. “Don’t you have to return to your own house?”

“Oh,” Kageyama blurted, seeming at a loss for words for some seconds. He bowed his head slightly. “I’m here, thanks for having me.”

“I didn’t invite you in,” she answered, glaring at him. Hinata frowned, shocked, and Kageyama’s mouth opened agape. “I’d rather you were not here.”

“N-Natsu…” he mumbled. “That was totally rude. Why are you…”

“That was meant to be rude, Shou,” she told him, crossing her arms. “In case you didn’t notice, since you don’t pay attention to anything anymore, I’m not a baby, I can say when I’m being rude.”

“Why are you being rude?” he asked, letting go of his bag and turning to her. “What’s going on?”

“I’m being rude,” she started, glaring at Kageyama again, “because he is not welcome here.”

“Of course he’s welcome here,” Shouyou interrupted, fisting his hands over the lap. “What are you talking about?”

“To me, he is not,” she sentenced.

“Take that back right now,” Shouyou told her, getting up. “You don’t get to treat Kageyama this way.”

“I can treat anyone anyway I please!” she retorted, angry.

“When did you get so arrogant and rude? Last time I checked, you were well behaved,” Shouyou complained. “You liked Kageyama back in high school.”

“Last time you checked must’ve been two decades ago!” Natsu accused him, the eyes piercing under the frame of frowned orange eyebrows. “You don’t look at anything at all!”

“Wha—”

“Ever since this idiot decided to invite you to Tokyo, you don’t notice anything but that!” she said, taking a step back. The voice was unstable, going up and down in a confused pace mixed with hurt. “You just talk about volleyball, Kageyama, Tokyo this, Tokyo that. You go and get yourself hurt and don’t even call mom right away. She was worried, did you know? You don’t even ask how we are!”

Hinata opened his mouth, but he was unable to interrupt her as she aimed her glaring eyes to the alpha. “You just get in the way of everything!”

Then she went out, stomping back to her room.

Hinata was left there, with a hand extended midair, very far away from its target.

After some seconds of silence, he looked down to Kageyama, who had a confused expression. “What was that?” he asked, at a loss.

The setter shrugged, seemingly as lost as him.

“She’s probably feeling lonely,” Yachi told them an hour later. After pondering for a while about who he should ask about this, Hinata decided to call her. She was the first one who popped up on his mind to ask. After all, from everyone who Hinata brought home from Karasuno, she was Natsu’s favorite by far, she’d probably understand her better than anyone else.

(She was also gentle and sensible while almost all his ex-teammates were brute idiots like Kageyama and he.)

“You know, you’ve been away, and she’s used to have you nearby. Also, you’ve been hurt, that was scary, you know? I’m not your sister, but I felt terrified,” Yachi continued, sounding pensive.

“Oh, sorry…” Hinata murmured, feeling guilty. Man, he had caused problems for everyone, clearly.

“It’s okay, as long as you’re fine… But be more careful. So, about Natsu, she must’ve been feeling lonely, and she’s angry at you because you don’t seem like you care, or so she thinks, I guess.”

“Hm…” Shouyou pouted, looking at Kageyama, who seemed as clueless as he felt. “And how exactly can I solve this?”

“Well,” Yachi laughed on the other side, “talk to her?”

And so he did.

It wasn’t so easy though. Natsu didn’t want to talk to him, so he had to keep knocking at her door until she got so angry that she opened it with a shout: “What do you want?”

“To talk?” Shouyou answered, raising his hands in rendition.

Natsu evaluated him for some seconds, then her eyes went to Kageyama, some steps behind him. “And he?”

“He wants to talk too?” he said, or more like asked.

Natsu glared at them, then leaned against the doorframe again. “Talk, then.”

“Sorry,” Hinata whispered, looking down. “It was not my intention to just… talk about volleyball. Or leave you behind.”

“I didn’t invite him to Tokyo,” Kageyama told her, the voice definite. “Hinata would’ve gone anyways, me being there or not.”

“Don’t talk like you didn’t understand what I meant,” Natsu hissed back, all poison. “Your appearance influenced the rest, and you know it.”

“It was not me who made your brother a good player, _he_ did it.” Shouyou turned around to Kageyama, surprised by his words. “I would never stop him, and neither can you. You have to let him go.”

“Oh, great, now you’re putting the blame on me.”

“I’m not.” The raven crossed his arms. “I can understand how frustrating it can be to stay away from people we like, but we cannot stop them. That’s Hinata’s dream, he’s reaching it, he’s shining bright, aren’t you happy?”

“I am!” Natsu shouted back, averting her gaze with a hurt expression. “I am not a bad person; I am happy that Shou can have what he dreams of! I just…”

“Natsu?” Shouyou asked, taking a step closer. He reached a hand to her shoulder, holding her.

“I missed you, okay?” Natsu mumbled, shaking her head. “Everything has been different, mom seems even more lonely now that you’re not here, school is difficult, and I’ve been feeling strange, Shou! And you’re nowhere, and you get yourself happy without us, like father, and then go to the hospital; it’s all so fast…”

She continued to speak as she threw her arms around him, hugging the omega. Confused, but feeling the warmth blooming inside him, Hinata held her back.

He had never thought of how his family would feel about all the changes in his life. It wasn’t just his life, of course, they were together on that, and now Kageyama was included as well…

His decisions had been making her anxious, he concluded, caressing her hair as she talked.

It took Natsu at least ten minutes to calm down, but she did eventually, holding Shouyou to herself as the three of them sat down in her room and talked.

“I’ve been feeling strange, Shou,” she confessed to him, as he caressed her hair. “I think I’ll present soon.”

“That’s, wow,” Shouyou answered her. “Isn’t it a bit early?”

“I’m afraid of turning out an alpha…” she murmured, and Hinata knew the weight of such. An alpha in their family just made them remember their father, and that was something they had been wishing to forget for a long time now. “I don’t wanna be an alpha.”

“It’s okay to be an alpha,” Shouyou told her, then looked over her head at Kageyama. “It’s not so bad, right, Kageyama?”

“Hm.” The alpha pouted. “The ruts are a pain in the ass, the scent won’t rub off, it’s hell on earth.” The omega paled, about to interrupt him when he smiled, leaning his head to the side and looking at Shouyou in the eyes. “But it’s only biology. It doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to.”

These words…

Hinata could remember these words, he concluded, hypnotized by Kageyama’s frantic eyes, which melted in cobalt oceans, full of mysteries and answers. Kageyama, too, seemed to know exactly what he was talking about.

The warmth spread inside him, as if a light had been turned on, flooding an empty room with light. This cozy, welcome feeling travelled under his skin, wrapping him in a comfortable ecstasy. So unknown, yet he knew it like the back of his hand.

_Kyuu_ , his chest told him.

He couldn’t help the smile.

_Yeah, kyuu_ , he told it back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there \o\  
> I hope you've enjoyed another chapter :)) So, anyone remembers what "kyuu" means to Hinata? And what did you think of Natsu's scene, the conversations with Suga and Yachi? Kageyama worried? :3c  
> Yep, Hinata's team won the nationals. Yes, things related to volleyball work out wonderfully in this story AUHUAHSUAHS. A writer can dream, right? The idea of making Hinata get hurt got to my mind because of his falls on the anime, and he never gets hurt because of that? I feel like he should take better care of himself. Did you think the doctor part was too rushed? I was afraid it seemed rushed, but I didn't want to make it too long either...  
> Daisuga are getting married :3c I hope you like them, I love those two! And Natsu's scene didn't exist in the first version of the story, but it was fun to write it :)) I think it would be normal for her to feel lonely now that her brother is away, and it's an important part of Hinata's life, so... I also wanted to put even more characters in the story, but let's take our time, in chapter 6 there will be a lot of characters UAHUSHAU. Get ready for Bokuto's and Kuroo's debut in the story ;D  
> Well, that's it, I guess UHUHUSAH. I hope you've enjoyed :))  
> I'd like to thank everyone that has commented, left kudos, subscribed! Your feedback is so amazing that I'm at a loss for words UAHUSHAUS. It's 160 kudos, I've never dreamed of such numbers! It's so rewarding to see so many people interested in my story :)) You're all great!!!!
> 
> See you 03/01 \o\


	6. When Suga and Daichi got married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the pictures were taken, said setter turned around to him. His eyes were so deep and blue, and Hinata couldn’t help staring as he frowned.  
> “You okay?” he asked.  
> The omega blinked, shaking his head. “Yeah, of course.”  
> (Of course not.)  
> (I’ll never be fine until we kiss.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, everyone :DDD  
> I just wanted to make some things clear before you read this chapter! Last chapter, at the end, Hinata looks at Kageyama and he feels a "kyuu". Some readers asked me what it meant, so that's how I realized it wasn't clear, so I'd like to apologize. I assumed you would remember, it was my mistake! So, just to make things clear, Hinata thinks in chapter 4 that he doesn't like Satou, because like would be that "kyuu" feeling :)) So, yes, as you may have thought, he reaized that he likes Kageyama in the end of the last chapter!  
> So now you can see how things go from that point. I hope you enjoy!

Hinata thought it would be more complex when he started to like a friend.

Well, don’t take him wrong. He had had crushes in the past, the majority of which didn’t work out, although his experience on that field was scarce. Usually he’d like people that weren’t so close to him, new people. To come to like someone that he was already friends with should be a whole other stuff.

He thought it’d be complicated. He had watched dramas about this with Natsu, and there was always some kind of concern about “ruining our relationship”, “how can I hide my feelings”, “that doesn’t make sense, we were like siblings yesterday”, etc.

To start to like Kageyama should’ve been something like that, probably. It did fit in all the scenarios of the TV shows.

Hinata didn’t feel like that at all.

There wasn’t fear of ruining what they had, or of being discovered, whatever. And, honestly, they had never been like siblings anytime in the past. It was just… natural? Hinata didn’t quite know how to put it, but he didn’t feel bad or anxious about it.

That said, it didn’t change anything between them. Hinata didn’t share the news with Kageyama… Well, not that it would make any difference if he did, since Kageyama would surely reject him.

No, seriously. Look at the guy, he had been avoiding topics related to mating and relationships since forever. Hinata had never heard of him liking or going out with anyone. It’s not necessary to be a genius to conclude it was unlikely that it would end the way Hinata would like it to.

So, no, he didn’t tell him. And he probably would never, but that was okay — it was like his personal share of the sun, warming everything when it had an opportunity. He’d let their fingers brush longer than they should, their shoulders would touch when they sat together on the couch.

Hinata was content with things this way. He didn’t need more.

Everything was going just fine until they went back to Miyagi to Suga’s and Daichi’s wedding, some weeks later.

It was early November, so fall was already settled, making the weather colder and colder in preparation for the winter. The two of them decided to do it in Suga’s house, and that was the moment Hinata came to know Suga’s family owned a small business and a big house with a wonderful yard big enough for a party.

They decorated everything in yellow and white, and, when Hinata and Kageyama arrived, a little bit early, Daichi received them with his arms opened and a smile as big as the Fuji Mountain.

“You two!” he called, embracing the two simultaneously. Hinata laughed at the warmth of his captain, embracing him in return. “I’m so glad you two are here! The last time we saw each other was on the Nationals of your third year, wasn’t it? Oh, god.”

“I think it’s about two years since our last encounter,” Kageyama told him, smiling to the captain when he let the combo go. Daichi was sparkling, his face happier than Hinata had ever seem. He had a blue flower in his pocket and a blue tie to match it, but the rest of his outfit was black, just like their jerseys during high school. It brought back some good memories.

“Sawamura-senpai, congratulations on your marriage!” Hinata said, watching as Daichi sighed in happiness.

“You should go say the same to Suga, he’s in his room,” he told them, pointing to the house behind him. “He was anxious to see you two.”

“Really? I miss Sugawara-senpai too!” The omega beamed, proceeding to the house.

When they found Suga, he was brushing his hair in front of a tall mirror. His outfit was similar to Daichi’s, with the blue flower and tie, and he turned hurriedly in their direction when Kageyama and Hinata passed through the door.

“Hinata, Kageyama!” he called them, throwing himself in the duo’s arms excitedly. He hugged them tighter than Daichi, leaving the two breathless and with pain in their backs when he let them go. “You two seem fine! I saw you on television just the other day. You almost gave me a heart attack on the final of the Nationals, you dummy!” he told Hinata, slapping his shoulder.

“Oh, I’m sorry, it wasn’t my fault,” Hinata answered, brushing the place where he was hit while Kageyama nodded approvingly to the punishment.

“We’re two,” he told the senpai.

Suga smiled to them, looking from one to the other. “You two really look fine. I still remember you two from the time I graduated, training, going after your dreams, but still immature. Now look at you, both on the Under 20, playing like professionals and living in Tokyo. How’s the life there?”

“It’s fine,” Kageyama answered, shrugging. “Nothing special. It’s busy there, I’d prefer living in Miyagi again.”

“I miss the mountains,” Hinata agreed. “And I miss you guys too, and my family. But Tokyo is fine too. There’s a lot of strong players there!”

“Hmm, I see. Can I tell you a secret? It has to stay just between us, okay?” Suga asked, motioning for them to come closer because he would whisper. “Daichi and I have decided to move to Tokyo after we graduate next spring.”

“You… what?” the two of them asked in surprise.

“We received proposals to work there, and Daichi is thinking about joining an association to play volleyball too. We might not make it to the country level, but it doesn’t mean we can’t participate in minor competitions,” Suga told them, sounding proud of his soon-to-be husband.

“What are you talking about, senpai? You two are national level. You made it to the nationals in high school and university. You can do it,” Kageyama told him, frowning.

“Not everyone can play professionally, Kageyama. Look at your team, how many people are there? But we’ll continue playing. We want to continue, and if something comes up, we’ll surely accept it.”

The duo nodded, but their conversation was interrupted when someone knocked on the door and they had to leave Suga to his other visitors.

The ceremony was very pretty. Suga and Daichi had their clothes matching, but the blue color of their flowers and ties contrasted with the decorations. It was some old tradition that betas married with something blue on their outfits. Hinata knew omega’s color was yellow, so he wondered if he would have to wear a daisy or something of the kind.

Suga and almost half of the guests, including the omega, cried at the end of the ceremony, and then they migrated to the other side of the yard, where a giant tent with tables and a dance floor were prepared with a band.

Hinata spotted a bald head and proceeded to that table, excited when he recognized Tanaka-senpai there, with Ennoshita, Asahi and Yachi.

“It’s so good to see you two!” Yachi told them after they greeted the rest of the guys with screams and buddy hugs. She was lovely with a blue dress and a ring on one of her fingers. “I hope everything wetn well with Natsu.”

“Ah, yeah, it did.” Hinata scratched his nape, embarrassed. “We talked things through and got in good terms again. It was exactly as you said.”

“That’s good.” She smiled, that same gentle laugh she had always had for them during high school. “Sometimes things get complicated, but I’m sure, if you talk honestly to the other party, you’ll solve it. You’re very kind after all.”

“This idiot? Kind?” Kageyama interrupted, pouting. Hinata wrinkled his nose to the setter. “He’d never share candy with kids.”

“Says the guy who complains about washing the dishes.”

“Calm down, calm down,” Yachi interrupted, now an expert on getting the two away from arguments.

“Hinata!” Tanaka called him from the table, as scandalous as ever. “I saw you two on television just the other day! You did the fall of the year, huh?”

“Oh my god, everyone watched that,” Hinata whispered, feeling his face getting hot when Ennoshita agreed with him and started a speech about how Hinata was careless ever since high school.

He stopped only when a fast ball of happiness attending by the name of Nishinoya hit Hinata in a strong hug, dispersing everyone’s attentions.

“Shouyou!” the omega screamed, and Hinata noticed how he missed that voice only when the two started laughing, hugging each other in a weird position.

“Nishinoya-senpai!”

“Shouyou!” the upperclassman repeated, clearly moved by the _senpai_ part.

“Nishinoya-senpai!”

“Shouyou!”

“Oh my god, someone make them stop,” Tsukishima asked from the other table.

“I was so worried when I last saw you on those national finals!” Nishinoya screamed, all emotional. Kageyama hid a laugh with a cough, and Hinata stepped on his feet on purpose.

They all stopped talking when the first dance of the newlyweds was announced. Hinata and Kageyama sat down to watch Suga and Daichi dancing to one side of the dance floor to the other, smiling happily all the way. Hinata always thought they would be a good couple, but they never made their relationship official, so he was surprised when he received the invitation.

They clapped when it was finished, and then it was announced that everyone should take the dance floor for another dance. Nishinoya jumped from his seat in a second, calling Asahi to accompany him, and even Tsukishima and Ennoshita proceeded to the dance floor as well.

“Won’t you two go?” Yachi asked, when Yamaguchi appeared to invite her. Hinata looked confusedly at her until she pointed to him and Kageyama. “You two won’t dance?”

“I, hm…” Hinata looked at Kageyama. He looked at the omega too, his face an adorable pink color. “We should…”

“Hm…” Kageyama twitched his lips for a second. “We should go too.”

“Ah… Really?” Shouyou asked, surprised. He stared at the alpha with his mouth agape as he got up and offered him an inviting hand.

Uncertain, Hinata placed the hand over his, and Kageyama pulled him up. Tobio’s hand was rough and warm, as always, making his skin tingle while they walked.

The way to the dance floor seemed to take an eternity. Hinata tensed when Kageyama pulled him closer; the arm holding his waist felt like it weighted a ton, imprinting itself in Hinata’s muscles. This close, Hinata was faced with his well-done blue necktie for some seconds before looking up at the alpha’s flushing face.

“So you’re gonna lead?” he asked, eyeing the arm hooking his waist.

“Someone has to know what they are doing, or do you know how to dance?”

“Well, no? But neither do you.”

“Yeah, I don’t, either,” he gave in, laughing mischievously as the song started to play again, pulling Hinata around.

Kageyama was gorgeous that day. He was normally very pretty, but his attire was breathtaking this time, with a black suit and that cobalt-blue tie that matched his eyes perfectly. The suit was rented from a store Kuroo told them about in Tokyo, and thus, it was adjusted to his frame, fitting him perfectly and highlighting his slim body.

When they were changing in Hinata’s house, his mother slicked the alpha’s bangs backwards, showing his forehead.

And, damn, he looked extremely sexy this way.

That was a torture, certainly. Hinata had no doubt this was meant, in some degree, to get him flustered — his mother had laughed when he averted his gaze while she was styling Kageyama’s hair.

The alpha could honestly be a model, he thought, concentrating on the dance while Tobio pouted to him, seemingly noticing he was distracted by something.

“What’s the matter?” he asked after a while, taking the omega back to Earth.

Hinata averted his gaze to his clavicle, covered by his perfectly tied necktie yet again.

“Nothing,” he decided to say, but it was in vain, since he was a terrible liar, and everyone already knew it.

“Nothing my ass,” Kageyama replied, as polite as usually, snorting above.

Hinata hissed back to him: “If I’m saying it’s nothing, then it’s nothing.”

“You could at least beat your brains out to create a better excuse,” he complained, guiding him around the dance floor, his arm imperative on Shouyou’s back. Hinata pouted, then looked up at him.

A lump took is his throat, impeding and firm, as he let the words slip out:

“I was just thinking you look kinda cool in that outfit.”

He waited for a reaction with not much in mind. Kageyama’s wide cobalt eyes made the lump in his throat flinch a little, up and down, and he let his eyes travel to their feet, to concentrate on the dance.

They waltzed around slowly, more missteps than actual dancing. Hinata counted his heartbeats, then a cough made him look up again, watching Tobio’s flushed cheeks as he looked over the ginger, to some spot above his head.

“Hey, if you don’t pay attention, we’ll end up falling,” he scolded, feeling the setter stiffening when he was called. Kageyama looked down at him for a second, then averted his gaze again.

“I’m paying attention!”

“You could at least work on a better excuse,” the ginger provoked him the same way, laughing when Kageyama narrowed the eyes to him. “What? You were the one who started this.”

“I was just thinking,” Kageyama said, wrinkling his nose, “you’re okay as well.”

“Wha—”

“You look okay. In a suit, I mean.”

“Oh.” Hinata blinked, surprised. Warmth slowly pooled in his belly, fighting the lump in his throat. They stared at each other for some seconds, both in some shade of red and clearly messing up the dance.

The heavy silence lingered in the air before they broke on a laugh.

C’mon they looked like idiots! They had those stupid expressions and were making everything awkward, but it was just so normal to compliment the looks of a friend!

Shouyou relaxed, laughing whenever he stepped on Kageyama’s pretty shoes.

“I have to return it, try not to ruin it,” the setter complained, but he kept on laughing as well.

As the first song came to a stop, they spun one last time, then Hinata slid his arm away from the setter’s shoulder as they stopped slowly. He smiled, whispering slyly: “We should go back to our table.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, hiding a laugh, the hand so light on Hinata’s back. “We should. We should do a lot of other things too.”

“Like washing the living room mat,” Hinata suggested, watching as the alpha rolled his eyes. “I wonder if the ice cream stains will fade.”

“Changing the curtains of the kitchen, too; it’s all greasy,” Kageyama gave his own input.

“Maybe adopting a cat?” Hinata prompted, and Kageyama’s mouth fell open in surprise.

“You want a cat?”

“Well, I have absolutely nothing against it,” he confessed, working hard to restrain another laugh at Kageyama’s shocked demeanor. Before the setter could say something about their possible future pet, the second song started to play.

“Hm, I guess we’ll have to continue, we’ll get in the way of the other pairs if we leave now,” Tobio reasoned after some seconds, and Hinata couldn’t help but smile at the way he spun him around, pulling him closer right after.

He wasn’t sure if he was breathing but the smile was totally inevitable as they continued in the third ballad, then the fourth, changing who was leading and getting better by the minute.

They were going to the fifth when someone tapped on Hinata’s shoulder.

“Bokuto-san!” he called in surprise when he turned around to see Bokuto with Akaashi and Kuroo behind him. He untangled himself from Kageyama, waiving to Kenma behind Kuroo.

“Hey, Hinata!” the former ace of Fukurodani opened his arms, hugging the ginger. Hinata laughed in his embrace, noticing his earthy scent floating happily around them. “It’s been such a long time!”

“Kageyama,” Akaashi greeted as well, nodding to the alpha. Hinata heard his setter answering the call with a small voice as Bokuto let him go, holding his shoulders with a big smile.

“What do you say about a dance?”

“Oh! Let’s do this!” he agreed instantly, catching Akaashi and Kuroo sighing beside them. Uh oh, that was bound to be a bad signal.

Shouyou turned back to Kageyama. “I’ll dance some with Bokuto-san, but let’s continue later!”

“O’ course,” the setter agreed, pouting and stepping back.

“Good luck,” Kuroo told him, pulling his phone from the pocket as another song started to play.

To say it was a mess would be an understatement. Bokuto was totally uncoordinated and they almost fell at least twice. Kuroo laughed his ass out and shoot a video. Hinata couldn’t deny he had a lot of fun, that was insane!

“Hinata, man!” Bokuto called him after they finished, both panting. Akaashi approached with a glass of something that looked like champagne in a hand, while the other held a larger cup with an amber-colored drink, which he gave to Koutarou. “I’ve been busy with the leagues, we should see each other more!”

“Yeah, we should,” Hinata agreed. “Tell me when you’re in Tokyo, please!”

“O’ course I will!” The owl held his shoulder, squeezing it and sipping his drink. “We’ll see each other a lot more once you enter the national team.”

“N-Nacional team!” Hinata let out, surprised. “Wouldn’t it be like a dream? But, Bokuto-san, I’m just in U20.”

“Work hard, I want to see you in the national team!” Bokuto encouraged him, laughing loudly. “Making Kuroo go mad.”

“I’ll make you regret it if you do something wrong,” Kuroo told them from the side, raising his eyebrows with a mischievous smile that sent shivers down Hinata’s spine. “Aren’t you going to dance again? Everyone in Instagram is in love with your first dances.”

“You put it online?” Akaashi asked, while Bokuto raised his cup high:

“Let’s make it louder! Uhhh!”

“I think I’ll go get a drink,” Hinata excused himself, laughing. “I’ve been here for a while now, I’m thirsty.”

“Then go!” Bokuto ordered him, letting go with a dramatic expression. “But come back!”

“It’s not even night yet.” Akaashi rolled his eyes but smiled anyways. Hinata waved to them a last time before making his way to the drink table.

There was an assortment of alcoholic drinks (which would explain Bokuto’s exaggerated behavior), but Hinata picked the peach juice, rummaging back to his table, and, exactly when he sat down, Nishinoya turned to him, raising his eyebrows and putting a hand on his shoulder.

“So, how are things going in Tokyo?”

“Ah, the same,” Hinata told him, already used to this question. “I’ve been training a lot.”

“Of course you have, I watched you on TV,” Nishinoya told him. “It made me wish I had gone to a university too just so I could participate in college competitions!”

Nishinoya, as well as Bokuto, hadn’t entered any universities after he graduated, proceeding to professional volleyball career. Both of them were playing in internationals leagues and lived abroad, though Bokuto was also on the national team with Kuroo — that much was to be expected, they _did_ get a lot of attention during their years in high school. Hinata thought Kageyama would follow the same path, but he decided to go to university for whatever reason.

In regards to himself, he hadn’t been invited to any teams, so university was the way to go…

Yeah, he was always behind, but he could live with that. They still believed he would make it to the national team someday, that much was more than enough to make Hinata happy.

“Hey, hey, let’s talk about good stuff!” Tanaka interrupted, sitting down with his own cup of wine. And it wasn’t night yet…

“What good stuff?” the libero inquired, sipping his drink.

“Romance!” Tanaka hit the table in excitement. “I want an update on your love lives!”

“Ohhh, good topic!” Nishinoya complimented, putting a hand over his chest. “I’d like to say Kyouko-san is more stunning than ever today. But my heart is all Asahi’s property.”

“Oh, you’re dating,” Hinata murmured, gaining back his attention.

“Yeah, we are,” Yuu agreed, raising his eyebrows.

“The distance has not been a problem for you?” Tanaka asked, twitching his lips. “I’d feel crazy if I was with a girl and couldn’t see her for a long time.”

“Nah, it’s fine.” Nishinoya waved a hand. “We see each other once a month, but we call every day. Technology is amazing, it feels like we’re close.”

“But you can’t make out,” Ryuu placed a hand on his chin as if in thought. “You can’t do the good stuff! What about your heats?”

“I’m under suppressants, c’mon.” Nishinoya rolled his eyes. “You know the leagues don’t allow us to play without the suppressants.”

“Oh, man, I’d forgotten about that, sorry,” he apologized, waiving a hand. “What about you, Hinata? Do you have an interesting someone in Tokyo?”

“Ah, no, I don’t…” Hinata looked around, twitching his lips. His interesting someone was in Miyagi at the moment.

“ _Oh._ ”

The way the boys held their breaths caught his attention, and Hinata looked at them again, just to be surprised by the way they both stared at him with wide eyes. “What?”

“You _like_ someone!” Tanaka accused, laughing hard and banging his hand over the table.

“I…” Hinata averted his gaze. How could they see right through him like that? He had just said three words, for god’s sake! “Okay… I do. I like someone. But that’s normal”

“Of course it is,” Noya agreed, smiling and easing the pressure Hinata felt. It was fine, no one was going to judge him, if he wasn’t ready to say something, he would just keep quiet about it. “Tell us more, if you’d like to.”

“It’s not an interesting story…” he mumbled, but Tanaka just shrugged, urging him on. “I’ve got a crush on a friend. That’s it.”

“Oh, I see! Someone from the U20, I suppose?” There was a hint of curiosity in Nishinoya’s malicious tone. It was Hinata’s turn to shrug. “That makes sense, they are all kinda hot. Plus, they like volleyball.”

“I can’t imagine Hinata going out with anyone who doesn’t like volleyball,” Tanaka added, laughing, a little bit too tipsy considering the time.

“I can go out with someone who doesn’t like volleyball! I have other interests!” Hinata tried to argue, but Tanaka interrupted him:

“Hey, Kageyama!” He raised a hand as the subject of Hinata’s affections passed by holding two glasses. “Sit down, I have questions for you!”

“I don’t think it’ll do any good to ask him about his love stories,” Hinata added while the setter stood behind his chair, looking from Tanaka to the ginger. His eyes lingered on Hinata for some seconds before he answered:

“I’m not into romance.”

“I should’ve expected!” Tanaka lamented, sighing. “I guess we’ll just hear of Noya’s and Hinata’s lovers then.”

“ _What?_ ” Hinata spit, horrified. Of all the things that could go wrong! He looked around to Kageyama, who was frowning in his direction. “It’s not lover, I’ve just said…”

“I’m just kidding!” Tanaka explained, raising his eyebrows in confusion. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just the crush. Hinata’s crush.”

“I thought you’d tell me when you had someone else?” Kageyama interrupted, cobalt-hued eyes solely over Hinata, who gulped. There it was… That puzzling look, something glinting in his eyes.

Hinata couldn’t remember when it was, but there were a bunch of times when he looked at the setter and he couldn’t decipher him. Which was very unusual, since Kageyama was very obvious and easy to anticipate. Sometimes, tough, he had this look, this specific glint in his eyes that Hinata couldn’t grasp, because it was fundamentally different from all the other hot burgundy glares. This one was cobalt-blue in a cold pool, with mysteries hidden within the dark waters.

“That was what we agreed on.” The setter informed him, breaking his thought track.

“That would’ve been if we had had anything, which _didn’t_ happen, so there was no reason to tell? Besides, I don’t even intend on confessing anyway.”

“What?” Nishinoya interrupted, making them remember he was there. “You’re not telling them?”

“Not happening.” Hinata shook his head, laughing nervously. He could feel Kageyama’s eyes boring holes in his suit while Noya clicked his tongue.

“If you want to have something, why not go for it?”

“Yeah, why not go for it?” Kageyama echoed, pursing his lips. “You weren’t shy the other time.”

“It’s different…” Hinata whispered, watching as Kageyama’s posture seemed to relax again as he took a deep breath. The alpha went around the table, sitting on the vacant chair beside Tanaka.

Well, Hinata had nothing against confessing per se. He didn’t feel like it would ruin anything between the two of them — it’s just, you know, he was sure he would be rejected anyways. It was useless effort, he would worry himself over something that wouldn’t work in the end, so it was better left at that. He was happy with things this way.

“I don’t feel like confessing, at least not now,” he sentenced, watching as Tanaka and Nishinoya sighed.

“Guess the only one whose love life is working is Noya-san then,” Tanaka mused, looking over to Kageyama, who still held two drinks in his hands. “You sure you have nothing to tell?”

“Yeah,” Kageyama shrugged, sipping one of the drinks.

“That other glass, is it for someone?” the libero asked, eyeing the dark-colored drink. Kageyama pulled it closer to his body.

“Y-Yeah, someone asked me to get it.”

“Oh, so you’re making them wait to gossip about Shouyou’s love life!” Noya laughed, and his words made the ginger feel alarmed. He looked over at the setter, who just frowned to the libero at a loss for words. “I say what, you guys never told me how it is to share your place with another guy!”

Before Hinata answered, their table banged when Bokuto, who surged from the left, hit both hands over it. “Guys! They’ll start the party music!”

“Party music?” Tanaka asked, scratching his chin. “Where are Suga-san and Daichi-san?”

“They’re taking the pictures for the wedding album,” Kenma told them, coming from behind Bokuto and pointing in direction of the house. He pulled a chair and sat down, leaning his head against Hinata’s shoulder. “I think they’ll cut the cake soon.”

“ _Let’s bang it!_ ” Bokuto incited, raising both his hands in enthusiasm. He grabbed the closest person, who ended up being Kageyama, and pulled him up and to the dance floor. Tanaka and Nishinoya were fast to get up as well, and the music started to play as the libero leaned in Hinata’s direction.

“Are you coming, Shouyou?”

“I’ll go soon.” Hinata eyed his half empty cup, then Kenma’s ebony locks spilling on his shoulder.

Noya shrugged. “We’ll be waiting at the dance floor!” And went after the others.

Hinata watched the crowd dancing while the sunlight diminished, then leaned his head over Kenma’s.

“Difficult semester?” he asked, feeling Kenma’s sigh against his shoulder.

“It seems like university gets worse every semester,” he complained, the voice sounding tired. “It doesn’t help that Kuroo wants to throw parties with Bokuto, like, all the time.”

“They seem like the party animals,” Hinata admitted, laughing.

“You have _no idea._ ” Kenma sounded bored, but his voice lingered in the air, as if he had something else to say. “Kuroo got wasted last time they hanged out together, two weeks ago.”

“He and Bokuto-san see each other a lot? I mean, I know they’re on the national team together and all…”

“Yeah, they do. Sometimes I feel like he knows more about Kuroo than I do.” Which would be impressive, considering they were childhood friends, Kuroo and Kenma. “I thought they were going out, and that Kuroo just hadn’t told me yet.”

“Oh, are they?” Hinata raised his eyebrows. They did match, both fun and easygoing.

“No, they are not…” Kenma’s voice got small, as if pensive. “When Kuroo was drunk that last time, he confessed to me.”

“He did _what_?” Hinata widened his eyes, getting his head up again just so he could stare at Kenma’s hair whorl in astonishment.

“He said he had always liked me but was too afraid to tell.”

“Oh… And what did you do?”

“I did nothing,” Kenma whispered, as if someone other than Hinata could hear him. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“Do you like him?”

“I don’t know…We’ve been friends since forever.”

“It’s strange to come to like a friend, isn’t it?” Hinata mumbled, and Kageyama’s face popped up on his mind. It was happening quite frequently this day, even with all the distraction of a wedding party.

“Yes…” Kenma let silence fill the air for some seconds. “I can remember your messages freaking out about Kageyama the other month. I guess I can relate to it now?”

“You’re on the other side of the situation,” Hinata accused him, pouting to Kenma’s head, heavy over his shoulder. “And I _did not_ freak out.”

“If you don’t call it freaking out when you send a friend twenty messages in capital letters, then I—”

“Okay, okay, I _was_ freaking out!” Hinata gave in, leaning his head over Kenma’s again. “You can’t blame me; I was deep as hell in the feelings.”

“You still are.”

“I still am,” he agreed, contemplative. There was no meaning in denying the truth.

“Totally falling for him.”

“Falling sounds like a little bit too much,” Shouyou disagreed, feeling Kenma’s body trembling as he laughed quietly.

“I wonder if I can fall too.”

“I’ve just said I’m not falling!”

They stopped there again, allowing a comfortable silence to hold them together. Hinata’s mind was racing around unlike his body, trying to put some meaning to everything that had been going on today. He didn’t feel like he should be thinking too hard about it.

“Do you think I should confess?” he asked hesitantly, and Kenma hummed beside him.

“I do.” That was quick. He elaborated after some seconds: “Do you think he’s into someone else?”

“I don’t think so,” Hinata mused, reminiscing Kageyama’s blunt response from earlier, _I’m not into romance_.

“I think I’d like to know, if I were him,” Kenma continued, contemplative. “I prefer that Kuroo told me about his feelings. It would’ve been better if he wasn’t, hm… totally intoxicated and incapable of recollecting it the other morning, but still. This way I can think about it and see everything differently.”

“I thought you didn’t like it when things were complicated.”

“It’s not complicated when it’s Kuroo,” Kenma quickly stated, as if he didn’t even have to think about it. “It’s important.”

That sounded nice… To hold someone dear and feel like their feelings mattered. Nothing was too complicated or too difficult or too annoying when it was about someone you loved. Hinata wanted to be held dear too.

His heart clenched.

The party continued, and the coziness remained, embracing them as a warm blanket. Kenma told him about his projects on university and about that new game he wanted to play with Hinata.

Nishinoya appeared after a while, breathless and sweating all over, and sat down beside them, getting a hold of Kageyama’s forgotten untouched glass. “The dance floor is going wild!”

“Looks like it,” Kenma stated, eyeing the mess some tables away.

A short talk and the libero invited Hinata to go back to the dance floor with him. This time the ginger accepted, wondering what could’ve been of Kageyama, being dragged by Bokuto earlier and never showing up again.

Yuu held the ginger’s hand and guided him to the dance floor. There, they had to go around people, getting closer to the middle.

It wasn’t difficult to spot Bokuto in the middle of the circle of their friends, blinding everyone with his sparkling smiles as he moved around in a somewhat made-up choreography that incredibly… looked great! What had happened to him earlier during the ballroom dances?

“He took dancing classes until seventh grade,” Akaashi interrupted his thoughts. Surprised, Hinata jumped away, looking around to realize the setter had leaned close to him to speak above the noise.

“Did I say my thoughts out loud?”

“I guess you did, if those were your thoughts. Anyway, he’s good at dancing alone, but pair is not actually his thing, believe me.” He shrugged. He didn’t seem like he was up to much dancing, but then, neither did Kuroo, holding his cellphone with one hand and moving around, clearly recording everything for future use. His other hand held the arm of a very reluctant Tsukishima, who clearly preferred death over such torture as being smashed close to everyone.

Speaking of everyone, Kageyama was hard to spot at the other side, squeezed between Tanaka and the newly-arrived Nishinoya. He was clearly trying to fit in the mood and dance around, but his stiffened moves were totally out of place.

Hinata moved closer without even thinking. He crossed the distance, avoiding Bokuto, and held Kageyama’s hands down. The setter widened his eyes as the ginger leaned closer, shouting to him:

“That’s not how you do it!”

“What?” Kageyama screamed back, narrowing his eyes at him.

Hinata tiptoed closer, almost touching Kageyama’s jawline with his lips. “That’s not how you dance! Let me show you!”

“And what do you know about dancing?” he asked in return, the voice much closer now. The hot air from his breathing sent goosebumps in Hinata’s ear.

“I’m graduated in thousands of cheesy romances, all of which had at least one dancing scene!”

“Wow, very well-versed,” the alpha mocked, but let Hinata guide his hands anyway.

Shouyou got a step back, moving his body around to show Kageyama how he was supposed to do, still very much aware of their hands clasped together. Kageyama’s eyes went up and down the omega’s body as he tried to copy the moves.

The energy was _amazing_. It was still daytime, although the shadow from the tent of the party made things less strange. He felt excitement pumped in his veins as they moved around, shaking his hips, getting hot under his blazer. Kageyama’s clothes were a mess, all wrinkled, and his hair was falling from the slicked look of before. Every place their bodies touched each other felt like it was on fire.

“These are as lame as all your ballroom dances earlier!” Kageyama told him after some songs.

“The important part is to have fun!”

“Do you think Kuroo-san will put us in his Instagram too?” Oh, clearly he had heard of Hinata’s performance showing up on Instagram earlier.

“Dunno, maybe if we make a good impression,” he mused.

“By good impression you mean embarrassing ourselves?” Kageyama prompted.

“Well, I’m sure we’re meeting this requirement.”

Kageyama laughed, getting a step away to spin Hinata around. The smile on his lips was big and gentle, as suave as the butterflies slipping inside Hinata’s stomach. Everything seemed to be pulling him to Kageyama. Oh, he wanted to kiss him. He _so_ wanted to kiss him!

He had self-control, he reminded himself, smiling back. But his self-control was totally giving him the thumbs up. It made him feel ridiculous! C’mon, boy, he had been wanting to kiss him for _what_? A year now? Who’d hold back for this long?

Okay, maybe he had only realized his crush last month, but he had _definitely_ been wishing to make out with Kageyama since that incident in his house.

No, it’s not true, it had been since school. _Nice scent_ his ass, Hinata would never have complained to share some kisses. He was such an idiot!

 _Don’t act on impulses_ , people would say. Just because you find someone hot as fuck doesn’t mean you should be making out. Yeah, sure. They were in the middle of his friends’ wedding, surrounded by other friends, it was the worst possible scenario to try to kiss the guy and get rejected.

But, god, he wished he could.

The sun was starting to set when Suga appeared from the middle of the people waiving his hand. He talked to someone on his left, and the message kept on passing until Ennoshita told the two:

“Everyone from Karasuno has to follow him for a picture!”

“Oh, the wedding pictures!” Hinata said out loud. As they turned around to follow Suga out of the dance floor, he couldn’t help but notice that Kageyama’s fingers kept holding his, pulling him by one hand.

“Look at you guys! I knew we should’ve taken the pictures first. You’re all a mess!” Suga complained when they left the dance floor circle, crossing his arms.

“Think of the bright side, it will make a very realistic portrait of the team,” Tsukishima prompted, sticking his tongue out when Noya booed his words.

“Well, let’s do this anyway,” the newlywed gave in, guiding them back to the house. They stopped in front of the back veranda, which had been decorated with the same yellow flowers as the rest of the party.

As they arranged themselves for the picture, Hinata stood beside Kageyama, hyperconscious of the warmth enveloping his fingers. He felt his face hot, weighting the gesture. He shouldn’t think too much about it, of course.

“We’ll be taking the picture now, stop moving!” Suga scolded them as the team laughed.

A family reunited; they’d not behave properly, that much was to be expected.

To have so much friends around him made Hinata realize just how far away he had been in Tokyo by himself. He should see Kenma more often and visit Suga and Daichi if they moved there next year. He should savor every moment hearing Tanaka’s and Nishinoya’s stupid flirting and Tsukihima’s flat answers, since they were rare nowadays, when they had been a constant relief in the past.

Hinata was alone, but he just wasn’t?

Because all he needed to feel home, to feel safe and cared for, was between his fingers.

The realization was so scary.

(Like the lifelong answer waiting for him to grasp it; a shiver in bare skin in the cold wind of November; a flower blooming inside his chest in autumn.)

What was he thinking about during a damn party? His mind would wander back to Kageyama every ten minutes! Even during other conversations, everything seemed to revolve around him and his pouting mouth.

After the pictures were taken, said setter turned around to him. His eyes were so deep and blue, and Hinata couldn’t help staring as he frowned.

“You okay?” he asked.

The omega blinked, shaking his head. “Yeah, of course.”

_(Of course not.)_

_(I’ll never be fine until we kiss.)_

Before Kageyama could say anything, Suga called everyone, telling them they would take individual pictures with the newlyweds now. They continued to chat until Ennoshita told them they seemed to be serving cake now, then the team disappeared in the table area.

Kageyama let Hinata’s hand go when his turn to take the picture came, then he told him he’d go grab some cake as Hinata, the last to take a picture, went back to Suga and Daichi, and happily squeezed himself between them.

“You never change, do you, Hinata?” Suga asked, the voice low, but amused. Daichi laughed by Hinata’s side as they took a pair of pictures.

“Everyone knows the middle is the best place in a photo,” Hinata told them, sticking his tongue out when they separated again. Suga gave him a small smile, seeming thoughtful.

“I’m just so glad you’re here. I had been thinking about this wedding for years and all, and I had always depicted it with the whole team…” His voice got even lower as he looked down and Daichi hugged his shoulders. “You gave me quite the scare the other day, really. But I’m glad.”

“Y-You mean, from the accident during the nationals?” Hinata stuttered. Suga nodded.

“Yes… It made me realize, you know… How we can’t be sure if we’ll see someone again. So I think I’ll value this even more now.”

Hinata wasn’t sure if he should be thankful or sorry about this, but Suga must’ve noticed his awkwardness as he smiled again, the sweetest, gentlest smile, like he held all the happiness of the world captive inside him. It made Hinata’s own body melt. Daichi squeezed his shoulder and added: “We’ll have a lot of fun today!”

“Y-Yes!”

He then looked over Hinata’s shoulder for a second and shrugged. “Well, we’ll go look for my cousins for their pictures then.”

As the couple suspiciously went away, Hinata turned around, facing Kageyama, who somehow got back there holding a mug in a hand and a plate in the other. “Wow, hello.”

Kageyama had been breathtaking during the whole party, but now he was _stunning_! If Hinata weren’t prohibited to drink, he would swear he was intoxicated. The setter was disheveled from their sloppy dancing; the tanned skin glowed under the golden light of the sunset.

He slapped himself mentally. It wasn’t time for this!

“What is this?” he asked, looking down at Kageyama’s hands.

“Oh, I got this for you,” Kageyama explained, offering him the plate and the mug. Raising his eyebrow, Hinata took the plate first, looking back to him.

“Thanks! Oh, you got me the slice with the blueberries! Lucky!” Suga’s wedding cake, as he had told Hinata through the phone some weeks earlier, was going to be a naked cake with fresh fruits above. Of course Hinata had taken a peek after the ceremony, enchanted by the colors.

“Yeah, that was a catch,” the setter agreed, shrugging. Hinata sliced the cake, then looked up at him, realizing something important.

“Wait, what about your slice? Did you eat some already?”

“Ah, no, I wanted to bring you these two first.” He then held the mug high.

“Wow, where did you find a mug? I thought they had put just the fancy crockery out today.” Hinata leaned closer, scenting something familiar. “Is that _coffee_?”

“Ah, yeah,” Kageyama agree again, shaking the cup a little bit. “You like cake with coffee, right?”

Oh.

_Oh._

Had Hinata ever told him that? He couldn’t even remember! It wasn’t like they had had much cake in Tokyo… But, wait, that’s not important now. That idiot had somehow remembered this and strived to get him a cup of coffee, which surely wasn’t being served in the buffet.

That was _insane_!

Hinata looked up at Kageyama’s face, the sparkling eyes that looked dark under the golden light. Something clicked inside him, squeezing his chest and rendering him speechless. Eyes down to the mug again, steaming hot, then up to Kageyama’s apprehensive expression.

“Look, if you don’t want it, you just have to say.”

Don’t want it? Of course Hinata wanted the food, cake with coffee was divine. But there was something he wanted more, that he had been avoiding…

Kageyama’s lips trembled as he seemed to prepare himself to say something else.

You know what?

_Screw this._

Hinata let the cake fall on the grass, holding Kageyama’s neck and pulling him down to a kiss.

Kageyama gruntled against his lips, breathing nervously, clearly taken by surprise. Soon, though, Hinata heard liquid spilling as a hand reached for his back, strong and decisive, like earlier when they were dancing, and set the butterflies free inside his body.

The skin was tingling as Kageyama’s lips responded, another palm cupping Hinata’s cheek, the rough fingertips feeling cold and making him tremble. His lips were gentle and experimenting, as if he was unsure.

Had Kageyama ever kissed anyone before?

Oh, he should _so_ kiss him again and again and _again_.

When their lips pulled away, Hinata gasped for air, placing his feet entirely back to the ground. Man, _what_ had he just done?

He should ask something before, let Kageyama know what it was about, but… He didn’t have much time to think of anything, though, because Kageyama leaned down, enveloping him in his arm and claiming a kiss himself.

Intense, like something boiling inside and coming to the surface. Hinata remained with no reaction for some seconds — what was going on, what did it mean? It was no time to think things through, he decided, as he responded in kind.

Stupid attentive, gorgeous, talented Kageyama! Stupid blue eyes and volleyball skills, stupid voice brushing Hinata’s ears, stupid cute gestures! _Why_ was he kissing Hinata again? What was that?

“What is this?” Kageyama asked after the second kiss, the breath caressing Hinata’s lips. The ginger shook his head, the skin bristling all over, and flinched involuntarily.

“I have absolutely no idea.”

Kageyama stared at him, cobalt eyes traveling up and down between Hinata’s eyes and lips. Gosh, it wasn’t even night yet. “Good,” he whispered, leaning down to claim his lips again.

Two weeks later, they received a letter from Suga with a printed picture of them kissing in front of the decorated veranda. Damn, the photographer had been there the entire time and they had forgotten.

 _Fucking finally_ , it said on the back of the picture.

Hinata had to agree. Yeah, fucking finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ;D  
> This is the longest chapter of the story, and I don't know how it happenned, really UHAUSHAUS. But yeah, they kissed! Wsn't it supposed to be a slow burn? UAHUSHAHSU I promise you guys it's still a slow burn, there's still a lot of stuff to happen! When I finished rewriting this chapter, I was afraid it seemed too fast-paced, but I hope you like it anyway! I'll give anyone who remembers when Hinata said he likes cake and coffee a hug! That's my favorite part of this story :3c  
> So, what did you think of Kuroo and Bokuto messing around? And Kenma's situation? My beta reader in Portuguese told me I should write a spin-off about his side-story. What do you guys think? Do you like Kuroken? :3 If you don't, don't worry about this story here, they'll be just a side-pairing. So, as I promised last time, this chapter has a lot of characters and some couples, and a loooooooot of dialogues. I've been training how to write dialogues, so I hope it was fun to read! :DDD And regarding the wedding, people told me it was not very conventional, but I decided to keep it like that, I hope you liked it \o\  
> Well, that's it :)) Things will be a little bit different from now on, and the next four chapters will be related to each other, so get ready for longer scenes UAHSUHAS.  
> Thank you all for reading, commenting, bookmarking, leaving kudos! Just yesterday the story reached 200 kudos, I'm totally impressed. Your support is incredible and I'm very grateful!!!!!!!!
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed! We'll meet again at 03/15 :DDDD


	7. When I entered the national team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama watched him with a fun expression, holding in a laugh. “What?”  
> “You have ice cream everywhere, idiot,” he retorted, taking a napkin from the ones Hinata had put on the table and cleaning his face. When he proceeded to his cheek, it was Shouyou’s turn to laugh.  
> “I don’t have it on my cheek!”  
> “Yes, you do!” Kageyama replied.

Kageyama and Hinata were not dating.

Hinata is just making it clear; you surely thought they were dating, what with the kisses and flirting in Suga’s and Daichi’s wedding, right? Well, it’s not the case. They were officially _not dating_. Hinata was sure at this point in his life he would know when he was dating someone, and that was not what was happening.

Well, that was the only thing he was sure of nowadays, anyway.

They still kissed a lot, though. Like, a lot. Hinata just needed a small excuse to lean forward and pull Kageyama closer to kiss him.

“Hmm…” Kageyama mumbled one night between their kisses, one hand going up Hinata’s waist. “You smell nice.”

Hinata felt goosebumps on the skin while his fingertips traveled around, flinching slightly. “That’s just soap. You use the same one.”

“It smells nice on you,” he insisted, groaning a little as Hinata kissed his jawline. They were in the kitchen, leaning on the counter close to the sink, and the plates Kageyama had been washing were all but forgotten under the bubbly water. Hinata laughed, slapping his shoulder.

“It’s the same scent as always!”

The butterflies in the stomach were roaming freely, making him feel like he could float any moment now. It was always so light and happy, everything felt so right. Kageyama’s hands went around the hem of his shirt, hot and delicate, as Hinata continued to kiss his skin, trailing a way down to his neck — a much easier place to reach, really.

The kitchen was chilly, and his skin was bristling with their touches. “We shouldn’t do that here,” Kageyama prompted. Of course they shouldn’t, it was a kitchen. Well, it’s not like they had gone very far yet… Hinata felt his face getting hotter against Tobio’s skin, blowing it just to see Kageyama shivering. That took him by surprise, especially as the alpha continued: “Man, don’t do that!”

“You have a sensitive neck…” Hinata murmured, surprised.

“And you have sensitive ears,” Kageyama retorted. Hinata leaned backwards, watching the red dusting his cheeks.

“I don’t. Where did this come from?”

“O’ course you do,” he groaned, leaning down. His lips touched Hinata’s left ear, the hot breath caressing the skin, and the ginger flinched, trying to pull him away as shivers traveled around his skin. “See?”

“Okay, okay, stop that, I get it!” Shouyou gave in, sticking his tongue out when Kageyama leaned back on the counter. Both stared at each other for some seconds, flustered, then they laughed, and his chest went _kyuu_ all over again. Man, that was so ridiculous, but everything felt okay when it was Kageyama.

“Wash the rest of the dishes, I’ll go shower,” Tobio asked him, turning around and going away. Hinata watched as he went through the archway, then something clicked in his mind. “ _Hinata, is that your towel on the floor of the corridor? How many times do I have to tell you it gets the tiles wet?_ ”

Oops.

“You’ve got it bad for him,” Kenma pointed out at the beginning of January, as Hinata described how the two of them had been doing in the past months. They were in a coffee shop close to Kenma’s university sipping hot chocolate and eating some muffins.

Hinata blushed, unable to restrain the smile that spread on his face as he averted his gaze. “I guess I do.”

“You sound so in love.”

“I’m not in love,” Hinata retorted, admiring his vanilla muffin. “I’m just enjoying things.”

“Hm…” Kenma hummed, staring at him. “You do know that things can get complicated if you two don’t talk everything through, right?”

Here comes the problem. Hinata hadn’t talked to Kageyama about whatever was going on between them ever since the wedding conversation — which was basically a pair of _“I don’t know”_ and some making out. That means that they had not settled what their relationship would be from now on.

“I do, I do,” Hinata pouted. “But I’m fine with things this way. I’m not actually in a hurry. And besides, Kageyama always says he is not interested in romance, I don’t think he’ll want anything like that.”

“You should at least talk to him,” Kozume suggested, pulling his yellow mug closer with pink fingers; it was so cold outside. “Even if he doesn’t want anything serious, you two have to settle what it’s gonna be. It’s the best way to make sure you don’t have a misunderstanding later. I still remember you had trouble with Satou because you didn’t want to date him.”

“Yeah…” Hinata looked down, twitching his lips.

Kenma wasn’t wrong… Kageyama could have a different opinion on what this was, so it could get troublesome. At least he should try. It’s not like it would be harmful or anything, yeah…

“Speaking of which…” Kenma’s voice wavered a little in an unusual way. As Shouyou looked up at him again, he was surprised to see the way his cheeks got a little bit red. “About the stuff I wanted to tell you, hm…”

“Oh, yeah.” Hinata smiled, feeling better with the change of topic. Kenma had invited him there saying he had something he wanted to discuss. It turns out that, although he was better with technology than most people Hinata knew, he always favored talking about his matters in person. “What is it?”

“I talked to Kuroo…” Kenma whispered.

“Talked to Kuroo? You mean…” Then something clicked in Hinata’s mind. “About _that_?”

“Yeah…” Kenma agreed, the eyes fixed on his mug.

“What happened? How did it go?”

“I told him what he had told me and all. He got serious and told me everything again, how he feels… He said he always felt like he could rely on me, that our time together is so nice…” Kenma trailed off, as if he was reminiscing what had happened. “Then we discussed it and decided to date.”

“Wait, date?” Hinata echoed in surprise. “You never told me you liked him back!”

“I didn’t know…” the beta confessed. “I still don’t understand very well. But I feel good about this, so I’ll go on.”

“I see…” Hinata murmured, watching as Kenma smiled. Something inside him got warm as well, and he smiled back. “If you’re happy, then I’m glad.”

It was nice that things were working for Kenma. Shouyou wished he could settle his situation as nicely as him too.

Months went on, and more and more things became clear to him. Being with Kageyama was totally different from Satou, his feelings weren’t changing the same way they did with the blond. They would have their normal routines, the friendship continued as ever, and not much changed, except for the occasional making out, and that was it.

Kageyama was surprisingly captivating considering he got on Hinata’s nerves in a daily basis.

Also, he was an awesome kisser. Hinata had expected him to be as clumsy as he had been with Satou, but no such thing happened. That left the ginger wondering if he learned it from him or if he had had other partners in the past, but that wasn’t really important.

Well… Okay, okay, it _was_ important, but Hinata had no right to meddle in it since they weren’t officially together. You see, if Kageyama had wanted him to know, he would have told him.

(They did have an agreement to share this kind of thing, but Hinata felt like it would be unfair to use it against the setter.)

After that, no one ever made a joke about the way they looked like a couple and lived together. Hinata wondered if they could understand something about the way things changed between them, but he never asked anyone about it anyways. He didn’t wish to trigger more questions than he was ready to answer now.

Their new relationship wasn’t the only thing that demanded Hinata’s attention after the new year, though.

It was middle February, still at night in the middle of the week, and Hinata was spending his time like the young adult he was: working on a paper for college.

Just kidding, he was making out with Kageyama, obviously.

They were both sitting on the sofa, or, to say the truth, Kageyama was sitting and Hinata was kneeling on it, one leg to each side of Kageyama, holding his face with the fingertips as they kissed.

Kageyama moaned against his mouth, sending shivers down his spine, and a hand surged forward, holding Hinata’s thigh, firm over the pajama pants he was wearing. Hinata wished they were sexy, but they were just some cheap baggy sweatpants that made his legs larger than they actually were — maybe it was good, maybe Kageyama liked thick thighs… Man, he had never thought of this stuff before, geez. Were his thighs sexy? Should he ask?

The way Kageyama groaned, letting go of his lips and proceeding to kiss his neck while caressing his thigh up and down gave him some kind of an affirmative on that.

Hinata sighed, looking down at his disheveled dark hair. He loved it when Kageyama’s hair got messy, an artwork created by his fingers, which seemed unable to behave properly. He was so attractive like that, Hinata wished he would slick his hair backwards again like in Suga’s wedding.

Kageyama’s wandering hand went dangerously upwards, making him bite his lower lip and flinch a little. He was close to him, oh, fuck.

Kageyama let go of his neck, locking his dark cobalt eyes with Hinata’s, the face flushed and the lips red. He was serious, but he seemed so entranced as Hinata felt, and the ginger was suddenly so grateful for the suppressants — he wasn’t sure what would happen if he could smell Kageyama’s scent now.

“Can I—” Kageyama started, but then a song began to play, and both of them flinched in surprise, widening their eyes.

It was Hinata’s phone, forgotten under a mess of Kageyama’s blanket collection. Hinata groaned as he recognized the song.

“It’s my mother,” he mumbled. His mother could wait, but it wasn’t common for her to call this late during week. She expected her son to be sleeping, not making out with his roommate.

Hinata sighed, looking down at Kageyama. He seemed embarrassed, pulling back the hand on Shouyou’s thigh and effectively giving him space to get up. Utterly disappointed, he did so, going to the other side of the couch and scattering the blankets until he found his cellphone.

When he answered it, he got news that he honestly wasn’t expecting:

“Natsu has gone into rut earlier today.”

“What?” he said back, very smart. His mother sighed at the other side.

“She has gone into rut. She’s an alpha… I just thought I should let you know, she told me she had talked about it with you and all… You know how she didn’t want it…”

“I do…” Shouyou mumbled, eyeing Kageyama. The setter was frowning to him, seemingly curious about his conversation. Shouyou was behaving strange, but that was because of shock.

Natsu had told him, when he had visited Miyagi four or five months ago after getting hurt during the nationals, that she was afraid of presenting as an alpha. He was hoping she would be wrong — maybe nothing was strange, and she was just imagining things, and then a couple of years later she would present as an omega and he would stuff her with advice as if he was an expert. Apparently, she wasn’t wrong, after all.

She probably was upset.

“I should visit,” he prompted. He wasn’t even sure if he had tests next week or whatever. “Can I go this weekend?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” his mother answered, sounding surprised by his sudden decision. “She will probably be finished by then.”

And she was. When they got there (because of course Kageyama went along, for whatever reason) on the weekend, her rut had already finished two days prior. Which was nice, Shouyou thought, since his first heat went on for five days. Each minute was torture, so he was glad at least her rut was shorter.

It was winter, and Miyagi was totally covered in snow when Kageyama and he arrived at his home and she opened the door, smiling widely.

“Shou!” she called, holding him in a hug. Hinata laughed, hugging her back. “It’s so nice to see you!”

“It’s good to see you too,” he said, petting her hair and noticing her knew soft strawberry scent, so different from any alpha scent he had ever smelled before. And it was so Natsu that it instantly made him smile.

She went back inside, saying she would get changed for them to go out together. Hinata and Kageyama waited outside, although it was cold, twitching their lips and watching their breaths coming out in white puffs of air.

“She seems fine,” Kageyama whispered. Shouyou looked up at him, watching the way he smiled, the face half covered by his blue scarf. “I remember she didn’t want to be alpha.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, smiling as well and feeling peaceful inside. Everything was fine.

The three of them went to the shopping center, since it was too cold to go around on the streets. Natsu wasn’t shying away because of her scent, which was another interesting behavior.

“I smell like body lotion,” she said when asked, shrugging and laughing soon after. “But I would like to try some of those scent-blocking wipes they sell, it would be useful during classes… I don’t want to smell too much during PE.”

“We should look for it then,” Shouyou agreed, accompanying her to cosmetic stores.

In the end, she wouldn’t stop talking about secondary genders. Apparently, she wasn’t feeling so afraid anymore and felt like she belonged in that new world, which seemed to be exciting. Shouyou found it fun to watch her — it was nice that she felt mature now, absorbing the new experience. It was similar to how he felt when he moved to Tokyo. Growing up was nice.

At the end of the afternoon, they stopped at an ice cream booth. Kageyama snorted audibly when Shouyou pointed to it in the food court. “You’re gonna have ice cream during this cold weather?”

“Ice cream goes well in every weather,” Natsu answered, the same way their mother always told them when she came back home with melon ice cream. Shouyou laughed as the setter rolled his eyes.

“I’ll buy one, do you want one too?” Hinata asked her. He then went to the line to order while Natsu and Kageyama sat down to wait. It was fast, then he gave her chocolate ice cream and started to dig in his own, which was vanilla flavored. Kageyama watched him with a fun expression, holding in a laugh. “What?”

“You have ice cream everywhere, idiot,” he retorted, taking a napkin from the ones Hinata had put on the table and cleaning his face. When he proceeded to his cheek, it was Shouyou’s turn to laugh.

“I don’t have it on my cheek!”

“Yes, you do!” Kageyama replied, and another laugh made the ginger look around, watching Natsu. Her eyes glinted in warmth; she seemed so happy.

Shouyou smiled back at her. It was nice that she finally felt okay, she was so tense that other time. She was fine with her secondary gender and with Kageyama, and Shouyou wasn’t making her feel like he didn’t care anymore. That was like everything should be, yeah.

They went back to Tokyo the next day, and Shouyou couldn’t think of any way in which his life could get better now. Of course, there was one:

That March, he received an official invitation to join the national volleyball team.

He was going home from the training with his college teammates when he received a call. He didn’t know the number, but picked it anyways, and literally fell down in the middle of the street when the person at the other side introduced themselves.

“I— _what_?” Hinata asked, and he couldn’t really reason at that moment.

It was a very dumb move; they would think he was an idiot even before meeting him! Maybe he would make them regret it? What would—

“You’re invited to be part of the national team,” the woman at the other side said. “Coach Aogawa is very excited to meet you. When can you start?”

Apparently, they were impressed by his performance in the nationals in which he had hurt himself. Hinata couldn’t really understand why anyone would be impressed by that, but he wasn’t about to complain.

If they said it was great, then great it was.

When he finished the call, sitting on the sidewalk after falling down, the teammate that was accompanying him part of the way home was kneeling by his side with a questioning expression. Hinata mumbled something to him and took off home. He needed to collect himself together and call someone — maybe his mother, or Kenma, or Suga?

He stopped on his tracks after turning a corner, breathless. He wanted to tell them, but they weren’t the ones he _wanted_ to tell this to, he noticed. The person that he wished to tell first wasn’t any of them.

Hinata turned around and started to run again. Every breath was like fire entering and filtering through his organism, pulling him through the city blocks until he could see the glimpse of Kageyama’s university.

It was bigger than his, he took notice while entering. He started running inside, looking from one side to the other to try and identify the gym.

The college buildings were tall and large, but the yard was truly big and spacious, so Hinata could continue to run as much as he wanted. It also meant that it would be difficult to find Kageyama, though he was very lucky that day.

After turning a corner, he spotted that dark hair and tall frame from the distance. Kageyama was jogging with his teammates, going in Hinata’s direction, all wearing determined expressions that changed in an instant when they recognized the little omega roommate of their setter.

“Dumbass?” Kageyama called, stopping his jog altogether while Hinata approached fast. He could hear the other members of the team saying something, but Hinata concentrated himself on taking a hold of the alpha’s wrist. “What are you doing here?” he asked, frowning as the omega averted his gaze.

“Can we talk in private?” he asked, biting his lower lip. Kageyama seemed to consider him for some seconds before telling the others he would be back soon.

Tobio then led the way to a corner between two old buildings, crossing his arms as soon as he made sure there was no one but the two there. Sweat slid on his neck and Hinata wished he could smell his scent, but instead he was engulfed by those blue eyes that got darker in the shadows. Kageyama frowned at him, opening his mouth to probably scold him about the whole situation or inquire the reason behind his actions, but the omega threw himself in his arms, holding his neck and burying the face close to the setter’s ear.

Kageyama was at a loss for a second before he pulled him away, the face impossibly angry, but Hinata wouldn’t let him ruin this.

“I was invited to the national team,” he broke the news, smiling widely.

Then and there, the realization of such words struck him.

He registered the way Kageyama’s face softened, the lips parting and the eyebrows going up in a thin line. He looked distant as Hinata held his own chest, still breathless, still so lost.

When he blinked, the alpha pressed him in a hug, a tight heartfelt hug, and whispered for him not to cry, and that was when Hinata noticed he was already crying anyways.

Big fat tears that came all the way from his childhood, when he decided that was what he wanted for his life, to be a volleyball player. He was such an amateur, and no one would put their hopes on him, but here he was.

He was recognized.

It was so…

“Shhh, don’t cry, dumbass,” Kageyama shushed him, one hand caressing his hair softly and pressing the omega’s face to one of his shoulders. Hinata felt his heart beating loudly, spreading warmth to every fiber of his body.

Kageyama was always so…

Hinata knew it was one of the things that had changed between then whilst they stood together. In the beginning, Kageyama’s victories would bother him, and Hinata would have to admit he was good through gritted teeth. Now they supported one another. Kageyama would embrace Hinata in his warmth and catch every one of his tears to comfort his souring heart, even though he was embarrassed and awkwardly hyperaware during the process.

They stood like that until they were found, then they went back home.

That day, they walked silently, ate silently and watched television silently. Kageyama didn’t talk much, maybe because it bothered him somehow. Hinata knew of those feelings, he had had those too when Kageyama was invited to a university before him, or when he entered the U20…

So, at the end of March, two months and a half before turning twenty, Hinata had to retire from the U20 to start his training with the national team.

He thought he could understand a little bit of what bothered Kageyama in succeeding when he went to his first training.

Kageyama was not there with him, and he missed the setter.

Not just his general presence, which filled him with confidence, but the moves they could pull together. They were in a synchrony so perfect that it was impossible to imitate with whoever the new setter was.

He didn’t have to worry about it that much, for he wasn’t in the first lineup anyways. Instead, there were some players he knew in high school and college championships, like their captain, Kuroo Tetsurou, the official setter, Miya Atsumu, the loudmouth spiker, Bokuto Koutarou, and one that he remembered very well: Ushijima Wakatoshi.

Hinata had never thought of being in the same team as Ushiwaka.

It just honestly never crossed his mind, probably because he associated Ushiwaka with a rival, the same way he addressed Kageyama in junior high.

(And look where they were now.)

(It was almost fun.)

The first day, Ushiwaka just looked at him in a strange way from the distance, seeming to be analyzing him, but choosing not to approach the omega. It both irritated and relieved Hinata, because one: it sounded as if the alpha didn’t want anything to do with him, like their past together in volleyball was nothing to worry about; and two: that way he wouldn’t have to stay close to that irritating guy either.

Hinata wasn’t intending to make friends with him, however, it happened.

It was a hot day, although it wasn’t summer yet. They had training in the afternoon, and Ushijima appeared at the gym after lunch with a bowl of ice cream in one hand, that he offered Hinata. They were not even speaking, he just got closer to the ginger, who was talking to the setter, Miya Atsumu, and offered him the bowl.

“W-What?” Hinata asked, frowning while Atsumu gave him a knowing smile.

“Are you trying to seduce Hinata with food?” he prompted. Atsumu seemed to think that everything was done in false pretenses. Ushijima simply raised his eyebrows. “I wasn’t aware that you were so into omegas. I get you, though, Hinata here is quite a catch!”

“Mi-Miya-san!” Hinata whined, puffing his cheeks.

“No,” Ushijima said, still undisrupted. “I just had a fleeting memory that Hinata liked pear-flavored ice cream when I saw it earlier.”

“It’s _pear_ ice cream?” Hinata asked, shocked, looking down at the bowl.

“Yeah.” The spiker shrugged.

“I love pear ice cream!” he confessed, taking hold of the bowl and smiling brightly. Ushijima simply nodded, letting go of it. “Thank you so much! You’re the best, man! And here I was thinking that you didn’t like me.”

Should he have said that? _Oops._

“That’s a misunderstanding.” Ushijima’s face never changed, did it? “You have that ability of getting me angry during games, but I don’t dislike you.”

“I make you angry during games?” Hinata hummed as he pulled the plastic spoon from the side of the container, trying the ice cream. It melted in his mouth, cool in contrast with the hot summer air, and with a perfect pear flavor. “ _Hmmm_ , it’s so good!”

“You do. The way you play so nicely sometimes get me nervous, but that’s good. It means you’re a good rival. And I thought the flavor was nice too.”

“You like pear flavor too?” Hinata inquired, ignoring the rivalry.

“Yeah, it’s one of my favorites,” Ushijima agreed, still expressionless.

“Oh, please, don’t tell me your favorite is chocolate. It’s so overrated!”

When he looked around again, Miya Atsumu was nowhere to be found, probably getting annoyed with their conversation and leaving to do something else.

After that, they became friends. You could say Hinata was won over with ice cream. Well, it wasn’t so difficult to get in the ginger’s good graces anyways — Hinata was friendly with almost everyone.

As time passed, then, everything went smoothly. Between the practices, the shared meals with the team and their visits to the ice cream store, they got a lot of time together, and things evolved accordingly. Even though Ushijima wasn’t that talkative of a guy, Hinata could easily fill that role, if given the opportunity.

Another change was the money. As a member of the national team, Hinata had some income, which was, well… Hinata, as a twenty-year-old who had never worked before, never had money of his own; he wasn’t used to it. Allowances were allowances, his own wage…

It was _incredible_.

He started to send money back home to his mother and pay his share of the rent. It was fun even to go grocery shopping, pick stuff for his home with his own money. _He_ payed for that toilet paper roll, thank you very much.

It was also fun to go shopping and not have to feel bad about the price of the stuff he wanted. He had his own money now; he could decide how to spend it, and that was nice.

The time passed in the blink of an eye, May was there, and Hinata was almost dying from training too much, but it was worth it, or at least that was what he would tell his mother every night when she called. Kageyama seemed to be worried about something, because he kept on giving him side glances with that pouty face of his for a while now.

And, believe Hinata, if Kageyama was noticing anything, it most probably was blatantly obvious.

The setter wasn’t what you would call an attentive guy.

And he wasn’t what you would call an inconspicuous guy either.

Well, Hinata wasn’t one to meddle in someone else’s business, so he decided to wait. If Kageyama wanted him to know what was bothering him, he would tell him eventually. Instead, the omega spent most of his energy on the trainings and at the college, and his training hours were getting longer and longer. When he was home, he spent most of his time studying for his tests, doing something about the weekly tasks and complaining about his day until Kageyama lost his temper and told him to shut the fuck up.

They had training match with another country scheduled to the second week of June, and the practice at the national team got stricter and more frequent, thus leading Hinata to a point in which he went home just to sleep.

Kageyama never complained about it, but he never seemed pleased either, until the date of their travel was announced.

They didn’t talk about it until a couple of weeks passed and the scheduled date came. Spring was almost over, but it was cold, so Hinata had to go out extra prepared.

The night before his departure, when he came back chilling, he was received by Kageyama sitting at their dining table with a pile of homework in front of him, most likely beating his brains out to solve one of his math questions. Hinata honestly couldn’t understand the motivation behind his decision to become a Math Major — perhaps it was because he had no talent to study anything else?

Hinata himself was very satisfied with his Physical Education course, thank you very much.

“Oh,” Kageyama whispered, raising his eyes from his probably difficult as hell exercise list, evaluating Hinata’s frame by the door. The omega raised a hand, waving it to him before slipping his shoes out and placing them by the door. He proceeded to tip toe in the alpha’s direction. “You’re back late, you know.”

“Yeah,” the ginger agreed, shrugging. “Some stuff about the trip to take care of.”

“Oh, that,” the raven murmured, averting his gaze, exasperated. Hinata twitched his lips at that reaction, but decided to proceed to his room to get ready. He was midway there when Kageyama interrupted him: “Aren’t you going to have dinner?”

The omega looked over his shoulder as the alpha pointed a hand to the kitchen, from where came a delicious smell. Hinata frowned. “I’ve already eaten with the team. It’s really late to eat now anyways, Bakayama, it’s already…” He checked his telephone on his pocket. “It’s almost midnight.”

Kageyama’s eyebrow twitched noticeably at that, but he didn’t go any further and got back to his studies. Hinata wondered what the matter with him was, but decided to ignore it; he had to sort some of his belongings for the trip yet before going to bed.

He took a shower before doing anything, and, when he got out, refreshed, with a towel sitting comfortably on his shoulders, he proceeded out to get milk from the fridge. On his way to the kitchen, he noticed Kageyama still sitting by the dining table, but that time his books were scattered aside, and he had a plate in front of him.

That made the omega stop.

“Are you dining now, Kageyama?” he asked, surprised.

Kageyama flinched, looking over his shoulder to the omega’s stunned expression. He shook his head and resumed to eat quickly, but it was obvious that he was dining now. Why the hell would he have his dinner after midnight?

Something clicked in Hinata’s mind in a second, making him feel his face getting hot.

“Were you waiting for me to eat together?”

Kageyama choked at that, coughing loudly whilst Hinata linked the dots behind his eyelids.

Okay, clearly Kageyama was trying to be a considerate friend or whatever they were and was waiting for him to eat together before his trip. And the ginger was like some ungrateful jerk that didn’t even acknowledge his effort at the beginning.

He had to add that Kageyama wasn’t that romantic of a person anyways, so he hadn’t had to be expecting anything… Yeah, Kageyama wasn’t romantic, but that was so sweet…

“I, hm…” he stuttered, feeling his face hot. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have eaten befo—”

Kageyama was still coughing while he gave his embarrassed speech, so he stopped midway to catch him a glass of water at the kitchen. When he gave it to the alpha, he drunk in a single gulp, seeming desperate, and, when he finished, slamming the glass over the table and making the embarrassed omega flinch, he seemed to have remembered what they were discussing and reddened as well.

They both stood there, red, and Hinata wouldn’t be surprised if the sprinklers started working because of the smoke coming out of their ears.

“Hm,” Shouyou gruntled, uncertain of what he should do about that situation. Kageyama, blushed from the tip of his ears to his pointy chin, turned back to his food and resumed to eat, ignoring Hinata’s presence altogether.

The omega stood there for some seconds before he made a decision, going around the alpha and holding his shoulders.

Kageyama flinched as he started to press his muscles, giving him a massage. “What are you doing?”

“Spoiling you, I guess,” Hinata answered, though he wasn’t sure if it was Kageyama who was being spoiled now. “I want to have some time with you too. It’s lonely.”

“I’m not desperate or anything,” he mumbled back, but didn’t try to pull the ginger away. Hinata smiled, moving his hands around his stiff shoulders. “Don’t hit too hard, I’ll continue to eat.”

“Don’t worry.”

That being said, Kageyama’s hands went to his plate, holding the chopsticks with steady fingers. He sighed, seeming relaxed again, and continued eating.

The ginger could feel against his hands every time he swallowed his food, the way he breathed heavily, the shoulders that got relaxed as time passed, less tense and stiff after a rough day.

Hinata let the thumbs go up and down his muscles, happiness bubbling inside him every time Kageyama sighed and moved closer subconsciously. They already did things like that for years, it was not strange territory, so he could keep calm. Sometime when Kageyama was almost finished, Hinata leaned down and pressed his nose to his nape, sniffing in vain.

“I miss your scent,” he confessed thoughtlessly, imagining Kageyama’s woody smell embracing the two.

The alpha stiffened for a second, but soon recovered. He ate two more portions before he whispered back:

“I miss your scent too. It’s been two years and a half now, and you just smell of alpha.”

That phrase made Hinata widen his eyes.

“How can I smell of alpha if you don’t have a scent?” he asked, genuinely surprised, straightening his back again. “Shouldn’t I smell of soap, like you said last time?”

Kageyama snorted at that. “The smell of your alpha teammates always sticks to you. Nowadays it’s Ushiwaka’s.”

“Ushiwaka?” the omega echoed, truly confused. “You remember Ushiwaka’s scent from high school?”

“I have a good nose, dumbass,” the alpha mumbled, putting his chopsticks over his plate after finishing his meal. He leaned backwards, touching his head to Hinata’s belly absentmindedly, and Shouyou’s hands slid down. “You smell of him all the time now. I kinda… don’t like that.”

Hinata noticed Kageyama’s ears blushing profusely, and his heart skipped a bit. It was comprehensible, to some level, that Kageyama disliked it. When an omega had the scent of someone else, it usually meant they were together, probably mating. It was normal do have the scent of friends, though, since they would hug and all, so it would spread. Still, it was so…

Well, they were not dating. That was all he knew, and Kageyama was not interested in romance. He shouldn’t be bothered by it, unless he expected something more. But of course Hinata didn’t know what he expected, since he never asked after all those months.

Yep, that’s exactly what you’re thinking, Kenma had warned him to ask Kageyama, and he didn’t. He had been avoiding a lot of topics lately… The reason behind Kageyama’s gifts, what was bothering him these last weeks, confessing his feelings towards him, what they were doing… He should be more honest, but, somehow…

“I’m sorry. I wish I could…”

He stopped there.

He was about to say he wished he could smell of Kageyama, and that was… That was something _really_ intimate.

You see, as he had explained before, purposefully getting to smell of someone else was something usually only mated couples would do. And mated couples were couples mature and that intended to stay together for a long time. Hinata and Kageyama were just… He _didn’t know_ what they were, he didn’t bother discussing it, he had been fleeing from this conversation.

The thought of smelling of Kageyama, though, meant that he wanted to take a huge step, and Hinata was surprised to notice that he didn’t disagree on that thought.

He wanted Kageyama to scent him, to share that kind of bond.

Wasn’t it a little bit too early? Weren’t his feelings going too fast? What was the meaning of this? Maybe he was imagining it, he wasn’t getting hold of the whole situation, as he should.

Hinata was left speechless after that. He couldn’t explain to Kageyama, neither that nor the reason why he was a blushing and stuttering mess afterwards. They exchanged their good nights, and Hinata spent the rest of the night reflecting on the thoughts he had had and its implications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello :3  
> So, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like things between Kagehina? Natsu's secondary gender, and Kenma's development? :3c And what do you think will happen in Hinata's travel? And Ushijima's debut! Man, I'm Ushijima's fangirl, he'll have more screentime in the next chapters UHAUSHAUS. I hope you like him too AUSHYAGSY.  
> I'd like to thank everyone who gave the thumbs up to the spin-off! The scene in this chapter was writen before I even heard of spin-off, so it wasn't supposed to be spoilers UHAUSHA. But I'll be doing it! Though it takes me a long time to post new stories, I like to take my time working on the stories so that I can give it my best, but I promise it will come out eventually.  
> Back to the chapter, then. So that's it, Hinata is on the national team now. I kept thinking if I should put a scene of Bokuto and Kuroo throwing a party for him (it's so like them to show up at someone's front door holding a box of beer), but I decided not to do so since last chapter already had that and because this one is long HAUHUS. And, yeah, Hinata's avoiding talking to Kageyama about the important stuff again...  
> The purpose of this chapter was to end some cycles and start new ones, especially what concerns the chapter 8, so... If you looked at this end with a travel and thought something was going to happen, you were right UAHUHAUSH.  
> So that's it. I'd like to thank everyone again, feedback last chapter was AMAZING and I still can't believe it, I'm serious. You're all so kind and I'm happy to have you here!
> 
> Next chapter is coming 03/29, get ready for the roller coaster of emotions! :DDD


	8. When we had that fight about the club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh my god!” he blurted, getting up. He was in trouble!  
> “I have to go!” he told his team, earning some surprised looks.  
> “Why would you go? It’s still early,” Kuroo said, sober and serious.  
> Hinata looked at his phone again. “Kageyama might be plotting some way to kill me when I get home. I’ve gotta go.”

Hinata’s situation with the wish to be scented by Kageyama had to be put aside when he travelled the next day to play a friendly game.

The trip was very short, for the country they were visiting was close, so it was safe and simple, as were the games. They won two out of three matches they had and left back to Japan happily. Even Hinata was able to play, despite him being benched at the beginning of the games.

It was just a pair of days, and the Japanese team got back to Japan in a Friday night.

This meant something very important.

You may not remember, but Kuroo, the captain of the team, was a party animal. As Kenma had told Hinata last time, he seemed to never waste a good reason to throw a party. Apparently, winning a friendly game that meant basically nothing was a _very_ consistent reason to celebrate — okay, maybe it was, they could be more confident in the future, who knows.

“C’mon,” Kuroo started, giving him a sarcastic smile. The majority of the team had already agreed to it (some people could be won over with food; some, with drinks). “It will be fun. We did that a lot before, you should come.”

“It will be _awesome_!” Bokuto added, as if needed, throwing an arm over Hinata’s shoulders.

They were still in the airport with their backpacks, and Hinata didn’t find the idea all that unpleasant. Despite the books describing omegas as pure and reserved natured, Hinata was more to the loud and festive type, and he was still dazed with the feelings of playing professionally for the first time.

“Yeah!” he agreed, hands up in a second, and Bokuto high-fived him with excitement, then Kuroo turned to their ace:

“You should come too, Ushijima-san!”

Ushijima was inspecting their interactions with his eyebrows raised. At first glance, people might’ve thought he was despising them, but the reality was that he was simply weighing his options. “I don’t think it’s fine to go out right after an airplane travel.”

“What does the airplane have to do with beers?” Atsumu inquired, pulling him with an arm over his shoulders. Ushijima just stared at him blankly for a second.

“Aren’t you tired?” he asked, pulling the phone out of his pocket and checking the time. “It’s already ten, you know.”

“We’re never too tired to party!” Kuroo announced, laughing loudly soon after. “And besides, we have to celebrate it now, it would be meaningless to do it later when the hype is over.”

“This hype of yours kind of scares me. But I’m free now…” the alpha reasoned, then his eyes fell over Shouyou. “Is it fine for you? Isn’t Kageyama Tobio waiting for you today?”

Hinata blinked at that, proceeding to catch his phone. There were no messages from Kageyama whatsoever, fact that was slightly unsettling, for Kageyama messaged him regularly when they were apart.

“He hasn’t said a word, maybe he’s already sleeping?” he told the ace, opening the chat app and recording a message to his setter. “Bakayama, I’m going to party with the team, you don’t have to wait, we’ll be back late, ‘kay?”

“And it will be awesome, just so you know!” Bokuto repeated over his shoulder.

Shouyou laughed, then turned around to Ushijima, his finger still pressing the recording button. “Say something to Kageyama too!” he suggested, raising the phone to the ace’s face.

Ushijima blinked at his attitudes for a second, then frowned, seeming to not find any sense in this request, but did talk anyways: “We’ll just eat something and go back home.”

“Fine,” Hinata praised, pulling the phone back and finishing: “I can’t wait to tell you all about our trip! Save me the noon tomorrow.” When he locked his phone and put it back inside his pocket, he noticed the eyebrows of some of his teammates up. “What?” he asked, unsettled.

“You’re so like lovebirds,” Miya Atsumu, told him, raising his eyebrows suggestively. “Arranging a date on Saturday after staying away for a pair of days.”

Hinata flushed in a second. “W-What… Why are you saying that?”

“Nah, we just find it cute. And your setter is awesome,” Atsumu added, enlacing his arm to pull the omega to the exit of the airport. “For all the time I’ve known Kageyama, I have to admit he’s good shit. The personality, on the other hand…”

They let the conversation go on while the team boarded their trip bus. Their coach agreed on their requests of partying and asked the driver to stop by somewhere the team seemed to find suitable.

Which ended up being a club.

Hinata wasn’t used to clubs. He was the kind of guy who would party in a family restaurant with juice and snacks. There were juice and snacks there too, but the juice was mixed with vodka and the snacks were goddamn expensive, he almost chocked when he noticed the price on the menu they were given.

The place was cramped, but they found somewhere to sit, and Hinata sat pressed to Ushijima while their teammates asked for some beers and then disappeared at the dance floor, leaving Hinata and the alpha with a bunch of empty long neck bottles and a plate of fries and ketchup.

After approximately forty minutes and all the fries gone, he checked his phone again, noticing there were no messages from Kageyama yet. That made him frown. The travel there plus the time in the club made it past midnight already, and the setter wasn’t calling him or anything? That was strange, to say the least.

He was about to call the alpha when Kuroo came back with a tray of beers and pink juices, followed closely by an intoxicated Bokuto and the other teammates. One of their spikers, Miya’s twin, sat beside Hinata in the cramped couch, making him press even harder against Ushijima, and sipped a bottle, looking at the phone in the omega’s hands.

“Aren’t you going to drink and have fun?” he asked.

“I have a beer,” Hinata told him, referring to his empty long neck forgotten over the small table.

“I see. You two should hit the dance floor,” he prompted. “It’s sweet.”

“Don’t suggest that,” Atsumu butted in, making himself comfortable sitting on his brother’s lap since there wasn’t any more space. Hinata’s eyes widened as he smiled mischevously. “His alpha might end things up with him if Hinata comes back home smelling like that dance floor smells right now.”

“He wouldn’t… Hm…” Hinata averted his gaze, feeling his face getting hot and deciding nothing he said by this point would help his situation. “What’s the matter with the smell of the dance floor?”

Instead of answering, the setter just leaned in his direction, baring his neck for the omega to smell. He was an alpha under suppressants, so most probably the only scent Hinata would feel would be the one of the dance floor, he reasoned, going closer and sniffing his skin.

He leaned back almost instantly, pressing against Ushiwaka’s arm, and placed both hands over his nose in disbelief. The setter laughed loudly, straightening back and stealing his brother’s beer to drink a bit.

“It’s… It’s like…” the omega mumbled, feeling chills in every inch of his skin.

“It’s the smell of sex, isn’t it?” Ushijima suggested from above, and Hinata raised his eyes to the ace, who kept with his blank expression.

“I-I think so,” he agreed, sniffing his hands to try and take that smell out of his nose.

He kept silent for some minutes while his teammates talked, wondering what he should do next. Eventually, he engaged in some conversation about their games and the way they had kicked asses, and proceeded detailing all the noticeable players of the other team and of teams they were interested on.

Meanwhile, his teammates continued drinking and laughing, and it was fun. Hinata asked for another plate of fries and a beer and a couple of them went to the counter to ask for personalized drinks, holding their conversation on for a minute.

Hinata took that moment to slip his phone out of his pocket and check the time. One and a half in the morning, and still no signal of Kageyama? He had said that the alpha should probably be sleeping, but deeply inside Hinata couldn’t believe over-tempered Tobio would have gone to bed without even sending him a message for him to see after his plane landed.

He decided to send another message to the setter just in case.

That was when he noticed, opening their chat, that his earlier message hadn’t been sent.

Hinata frowned at that, checking his other chats, and noticing there were no other messages either. No one texted him for a while now? Ushijima should have noticed his discomfort.

“What’s the matter?” he asked calmly.

“I think I don’t have phone signal ever since we reached Tokyo,” Hinata answered. “My message to Kageyama hasn’t been sent.”

“Hm…” the alpha murmured, inspecting his phone with the eyes. “Oh!”

“Oh?” the omega echoed, while Ushijima reached one of his fingers to the top of the screen.

“I think you might have forgotten to turn off the airplane mode.”

“Oh?” Hinata followed his finger to the little airplane symbol. “Oh! You’re right!”

He tapped the menu button, changing his options and turning off the airplane mode. Some seconds after that, the symbols of signal and internet appeared at the top of his setting menu and his phone started to buzz lively.

He gasped loudly when he noticed the five missed calls and the fifty-two messages. All the phone calls were from Kageyama, but the messages varied from other people. Clearly Kageyama had been asking for news of Hinata.

“Oh my god!” he blurted, getting up. He was in trouble!

“I have to go!” he told his team, earning some surprised looks.

“Why would you go? It’s still early,” Kuroo said, sober and serious.

Hinata looked at his phone again. “Kageyama might be plotting some way to kill me when I get home. I’ve gotta go.”

“Okay, but our bags are on the bus, you’ll have to get it tomorrow, okay? And do you know where to take a taxi?” the captain asked.

“I’ll walk him there,” Ushijima offered, getting up beside the omega. “I’ll also take my leave. Goodnight.”

Hinata said his farewells quickly, and the two of them hurried outside. It was so hot inside that the chilly spring air hit them like a bus, and Hinata had to stop for a second to adjust, feeling cold. Ushiwaka proceeded in front while the omega tapped in his phone, dialing Kageyama’s number.

He answered in the second ring.

“Hinata, for god’s sake!” the setter said at the other side, clearly nervous. “What’s going on?”

“I, hm…” the omega followed Ushijima across a street, looking at the sides to make sure no car was coming. “I’m fine. Nothing happened. You see, I forgot to—”

“So nothing happened. You’re just fooling around, aren’t you?” Kageyama accused so bluntly that Hinata almost tripped.

“Ah, sorry, sorry,” he apologized. “I forgot to turn off the airplane mode after leaving the airport. The team decided to…”

“What’s the matter with you? You don’t even tell me?”

“Ah, I’m saying it was an accident!” Hinata reached the taxi stop Ushijima was leading him to. The ace stood there, looking to the middle blocker as if waiting for him to finish his call. “I’ve just got a taxi; I’ll be there in no time.”

“Hm,” Kageyama grumbled, still irritated.

“Just wait, I’m going,” the omega interrupted.

And before the alpha could hiss at him again, he ended the call and stuffed his phone back in the pocket.

“I have to go,” he told Ushijima, who just nodded, saying goodbye and taking a taxi while Hinata took the other.

The omega expected Kageyama to call him again and scream at him all the way home, but it never happened, what, in fact, left him even more nervous.

When he got to their building, Kageyama wasn’t waiting for him at the entrance, another bad signal. He went up the stairs with worry filling his every movement, until he reached his apartment door. He took the keys from the backpack, the only thing he kept with himself when they decided to go partying.

He turned the keys one, two times, and the door clicked open. Hinata entered, checking the living room just to notice Kageyama sitting at the dining table. His hands were playing with his cellphone and his eyes pierced Hinata’s in a second when the ginger entered, deep, blue and tired.

Okay, he was _very_ angry.

He got up as Shouyou closed the door. He heard each of Kageyama’s strong steps, turning around with his hands up. “Kageyama, I can expl—”

“What’s your fucking problem?” Kageyama hissed, interrupting him and stopping right in front of the omega, a shadowy presence. Hinata widened his eyes, stepping back just to hit his shoulder blades to the front door. “I mean, for real!”

“It’s just…” Hinata tried to think of a reasonable response other than the ones he gave through the phone call. “I forgot to turn off the airplane mode, that’s why I didn’t receive your messages and calls.”

“I already got that. Now I’m asking what’s your goddamn problem,” Kageyama replied, leaking venom in the words. He was the angriest Hinata had ever seen him, and that was a very high mark, for Kageyama had a lot of anger fits in a weekly basis.

“I’m sorry,” Shouyou proceed, twitching his lips. “That’s on me, I just forgot.”

“You’re always like that,” the alpha complained, gesticulating with his hands in an angry manner. “You never pay attention to the important stuff, it’s almost like you find it fun.”

“W-What? I don’t!” Hinata disagreed. Kageyama groaned, taking a step back and glaring at him.

“You do, yes. You go out after midnight without at least telling me you will, and you knew I would be waiting,” he accused, pointing a finger to the omega’s face. Hinata sighed, apprehensive, it was always a pain to fight with him. “You’re so immature! I don’t know why I put up with you!”

That caught his attention, and the ginger frowned a little to him.

“What do you mean, you put up with me? And immature? _Really?_ ” he asked, perplexed. Kageyama rolled his eyes, whispering something under his breath, and though the ginger couldn’t understand perfectly, it sounded like _he doesn’t even get it_.

“You’re so irritating! You just think of yourself!” he said, the eyes filled with anger. Hinata’s frown deepened and he was about to interrupt when the alpha proceeded: “You go out there, do whatever you want during the day, then come back and keep complaining about how university is difficult and don’t help with any chores. And guess what? My university is difficult too! I have a team too, and the U20, and endless exercise lists, and tests! And I must keep the apartment clean because you won’t to a damn thing. I give you stuff and do whatever you want to keep you happy, but you just keep on acting like your life’s so terrible. Could you at least recognize my efforts? Of fucking course _no_! You just keep doing whatever you want!”

“I don’t!” Hinata disagreed, a little bit louder than planned. This seemed to enrage Kageyama even more, and he came closer again, almost touching the ginger’s forehead with an accusing raised index.

“Then tell me what happened today? Why would it take you three hours to realize your message wasn’t sent, uh? You insist you forgot, but you forgot because you didn’t care, because you’re too immature to understand how important it is.”

“That’s not true!” Hinata was feeling this hot angry mixture bubbling inside, drowning the rest. He raised a hand, slapping Kageyama’s finger away from his face. “I was out, so what? Can’t I go out with my team without asking for your permission? You can’t control what I do!”

“Yeah, I can’t!” Kageyama shouted, clearly losing it. “You can do whatever you want, including not caring about me at all. Go out and drink as much as you’d like, come back next week, who cares? Kageyama can just worry by himself, right? He’s the stupid one for caring in the first place! Just don’t come back saying it’s not your fault. It’s so easy to put the blame on something else, to always be the victim. You’re not capable of keeping track of a fucking message? Are you brainless?”

“ _Don’t_ you talk with me like that!” the omega screamed, panting soon after. “You don’t get to treat me this way! I’m not playing the victim, and I never asked you to do anything! I don’t even understand why you’re bringing this up, it has nothing to do! Are you going crazy?”

“But _that’s_ what I mean! You don’t give a damn about me or how I feel,” the alpha retorted. “I do what I can for you, for our life, and you never answer back. You’re so fucking selfish! Tell me at least one thing you did for me recently!”

“I cook dinner,” Hinata told him, and paused, perplexed, when the alpha laughed bitterly.

“You don’t mean to imply the instant noodles are a dinner, do you?”

“I cook more than that. And I help you clean everything, even though I find your cleaning paranoia annoying!” Hinata told him, pouting to his angry face. Kageyama would always make him wake up early on the weekends just so he could mop every millimeter of their little cramped apartment. “You’re saying you do everything, but I am putting up with you too! I’ve been going through a lot these past weeks, I’m super tired, but you’re getting angry at me? I thought it was part of the deal to take care of the other when they’re in a difficult situation!”

“Of course, take care of you is what I’ve been doing for weeks, but obviously you don’t know, right? As ever.”

“Don’t you begin with this again.”

“If you’re just putting up with everything, because, oh, it’s so terrible to have your house cleaned for you and get attention all the time, then why do you mind coming back? Go to your fucking party!” he incited, turning away and rummaging to the dining table.

“Guess what? I should do exactly that!” Hinata screamed back. “You talk to me like that, who do you think you are? I admit I messed up, but you’re too rude! You’re always an asshole, and I have to deal with your moody behavior like it is normal. Not everyone would have so much patience! And I don’t have to!”

Kageyama turned back to him, his black hair waiving everywhere as he punctuated his words like a bickering bird. “Have you ever thought that I’m always angry because you’re insufferable?”

“If it’s like that, why did you invite me to live together?” Hinata asked, panting and feeling angry tears prickling at the sides of his eyes. Kageyama rolled his eyes again.

“I’ve been wondering about that too!”

“I guess you have! I wonder why I accepted too!” Hinata hissed, capturing his backpack with one hand and turning around to hold the doorknob with the other. He looked over his shoulder to Kageyama’s piercing blue eyes. “That was clearly the worst decision I’ve ever made!”

“I completely agree.”

“I’ll get going, and don’t you dare call me; I won’t pick up!” Hinata announced, stuffing his key back in and unlocking the door. When he was about to close it behind him, he could still hear Kageyama’s answer at the other side:

“You wish I would!”

Hinata continued in a relentless march all the way out of his building block. He was stumping his feet on the ground with exaggerated force to let out his anger, ignoring that he probably looked stupid that way.

He had to walk another block to realize there was almost no one on the streets now to witness his stupidity.

Well, it was two in the morning, and, even though Tokyo was a city that never stopped, his simple residential neighborhood was almost entirely sleeping. He stopped close to a light pole, looking at the green traffic light and no cars coming whatsoever.

It was dark and cold outside. He sighed and pulled the smartphone from his pocket, checking the missed calls and messages again. What should he do? Maybe go to some hotel? He should be able to find one at downtown and he could call a taxi to take him there.

Honestly speaking, however, Hinata didn’t feel like going anywhere.

He sat down at the sidewalk, staring at his feet. It wasn’t a smart idea to stay alone at night in an empty street, but he didn’t feel like walking anymore.

Kageyama had told him he regretted inviting him to live together.

That meant he regretted everything that had happened. He regretted their daily issues. He regretted growing closer, playing together at the U20, and, most importantly, he didn’t want to continue alongside Hinata in the future.

They weren’t together, but it felt so much like a rejection.

Hinata bit his lower lip. The anger bubbling inside him subsided to another feeling, one that made the side of his eyes tear up like earlier. It was so frustrating that he had to be treated like that and still feel so empty!

He refused to understand those feelings. He just refused!

His internal worries were interrupted when the phone buzzed in his hands. For a millisecond, he thought about what he would say if it was Kageyama, but then the screen was filled with a picture of another person. One that made him feel even sadder inside.

“Sugawara-senpai,” he answered, hearing a relieved sigh at the other side of the line.

“Hinata!” Suga called, his voice worried. “Are you okay? Kageyama sent me a message asking of you!”

“I’m fine. I just forgot to turn off the airplane mode when I went out with my team,” Hinata explained, and that seemed to be the twentieth time this night, though it wasn’t. The words felt heavy in his tongue.

“Oh, thank goodness it wasn’t anything bad.” Hinata could picture him placing a hand over his heart in relief. Then a thought popped up on his mind. “So you’re home now? Did you come back home safely?”

“Suga-san, your apartment in Tokyo has two rooms, right?” he asked cautiously, feeling a lump in his throat as the idea was assimilated. It was…

“Yes, it has. Hinata, are you really fine? Your voice is…”

“Sawamura-senpai has a car, doesn’t he?” Shouyou continued, and his voice was stranger than before. Suga probably got his intentions, for he answered:

“You want us to pick you up? Where are you, Hinata? Are you okay?”

“I don’t want to bother you, but…” Hinata felt those stupid hot tears trailing the way down his cheeks. He raised a hand, rubbing the skin roughly. “I’ve just had a fight with Kageyama, and I’m at the street with a backpack, and I don’t know what I should… I mean, I should…”

“We’re going there, Hinata!” Suga interrupted him with a worried voice. “Could you tell me exactly where you are? Are you alone at the street? It’s not good to be alo— Daichi!”

His voice was away from the speaker then, and Hinata could hear him talking to his husband, then some sounds that indicated they were moving. It was surprising enough that they were up this late.

“Daichi’s asking your whereabouts,” Suga told him a while later.

They got there exactly twelve minutes later. Hinata wasn’t sure if it was because they lived close by or if it was because they rushed there in top speed. Daichi’s sedan stopped a pair of meters away from him, the lights making it impossible for him to look at it directly, but he heard the sound of a door opening and closing, and then Suga’s voice:

“Hinata, it’s good that you’r— Oh my god, are you crying? What happened?” he interjected, and Hinata only looked at him when he knelt down in front of him, his eyes big and filled with so much worries. The beta reached for his hands, caressing fondly. “Hinata, are you okay?”

“I had a fight with Kageyama,” Hinata resumed, and something lit up in the setter’s eyes. He probably concluded the direction their fight had taken as he pulled Hinata up, embracing his shoulders.

“Come on, you need a warm shower and a good night’s sleep. Let’s go.”

Suga felt so much like a mother. He pulled Hinata to the backseat and bothered sitting there with him. Daichi greeted him from the front, spending some seconds evaluating his behavior through the mirror before exchanging a brief look with his husband. Suga put his and Hinata’s seatbelts on and held the omega close, caressing his hair as he spoke sweet reassuring lies to him.

Shouyou shook his head against Suga’s shoulder, feeling like an idiot for crying because of what happened earlier. It wasn’t their first argument, nor would it be the last, but the way Kageyama sent him away made his heart clench inside the chest. It was all so frustrating! Kageyama was an idiot!

“Shhh,” Suga whispered, caressing his hair and pressing Shouyou’s cheek to his shoulder. “We’re here, Hinata. You’re not alone.”

He felt so tired as he was embraced by Suga’s warmth, which wouldn’t fill the black hole inside his chest increasing with each second.

“He was an idiot, stupid, and I told him living together with him was the worst decision I’ve ever made,” Hinata told him with a stuttering voice, feeling his lips trembling as he forced each word out.

“Shhh, it will be okay,” Suga reassured, his voice soothing.

“I’m so angry,” Hinata shook his head against his warm kindness, sobbing soon after, to his dismay. “And, I don’t know…”

“It’s normal to be frustrated now, Hinata.”

Hinata shook his head again, but didn’t find the strength inside to explain his point anymore. He was so nervous; he felt his body trembling as Suga embraced him. He didn’t mean to enrage the alpha and to fight him, but Kageyama was being an asshole and now he was an idiot for being so moved by that stupid argument. Tobio had said those things as if he intended to hurt, to make him bleed, to destroy the beliefs that brought them together these past years.

Hinata always thought they were a perfect match; they were in sync, but it wasn’t like that, he realized. He wasn’t sure what had been right about all this time and what he had gotten wrong ever since school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there \o\ I have some things to discuss, but let's go  
> First of all, I know you guys must be unhappy about this chapter UAHUSHAUS. I'm aware it's not pleasent, but I decided to do it for two reasons... I think people have arguments in real life, and I wanted the story to be the closest to a normal relationship as I could; and it was also a challenge to myself  
> It's difficult for me to write about arguments, and I consider that a huge weak point in all my stories, so I wanted to try again and write about it. It was hard, but I think that's how it has to be, I have to try new things and do my best, otherwise I'll never improve :)) So I'm not sure if it's good, I was pestered with thoughts of it being bad during the last weeks, but now I have the peace of mind to say, for good or for bad, I did my best in this chapter :))  
> I hope you guys didn't hate it too much UHAUSHA. I assure you things will get better! So, what do you think of the argument? Did you think it made sense? Are you angry at Kageyama? There was a party again, and of course Ushijima appeared, I'm so obvious UHAUSHAUSH
> 
> The second thing I wanted to discuss with you is about coronavirus and all... Unfortunatelly, it's arrived in my city a while ago. I'll do my best not to allow anything to disturb the regular posts, but I hope you can be understanding if I delay the chapters in case anything happens. Until now, my family is alright, I hope you and your families are okay and healthy too :))
> 
> Thank you all for reading, commenting, bookmarking, well, giving some love to the story ;')) We'll be back 04/12


	9. When I helped you with your test for the team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He looked up, turning around, breathless, exhilarated, and his vision locked with Kageyama’s again. They were closer now, so he could see his wide blue eyes, the mouth agape, the deep breaths he was taking, the messy hair. Everything that, after so many years, Shouyou knew so well.  
> The sensation of hitting the ball right where he wanted, to be at the top of the court and to be the best — these were the views Kageyama had been helping him reach during all those years. They would push each other up, work together and reach their dreams.  
> They were reaching their dreams now."

The first thing Hinata noticed when he woke up next morning was that he wasn’t home.

His eyes fluttered open to a ceiling that wasn’t his. That light fixture definitely didn’t look like the one in his room. He spent a pair of seconds reasoning until the events of last night came back to torment him yet again.

Okay, he had some conclusions about his life that morning, he decided, turning around and closing his hurting eyes in an attempt of sleeping again, though his mind was already working like a dog taken for a walk.

First: his eyes would probably be dry and sticky for at least twenty-four hours after he cried them out yesterday.

Second: his body felt like he had been hit by a car. Everything hurt, his head, his shoulders, his back. He wanted to stay in bed and never get up.

Third: he had to go to the gym to fetch his baggage, which was in the team bus. Since he wouldn’t be home for a while now, that was the only source of clothes and important daily items he could count on.

And fourth: he didn’t know what he should do about Kageyama anymore.

They always had little arguments, but the last time they fought for real, he could remember they stopped talking entirely, and it took the two at least some weeks to get back in terms, only because Kageyama silently resigned and did what Hinata wanted all along.

He wasn’t sure what he should do in his current circumstances. Maybe he should look for another apartment? He grumbled, closing his eyes with much more force. He didn’t want to do that. Maybe go back to the apartment and pretend like nothing had happened? But, well, after all the alpha had said yesterday, Hinata didn’t feel comfortable to go back there.

He was sure he wouldn’t give up his point. Kageyama had been an asshole. He could’ve at least been more rational, but he just started pinpointing everything that bothered him in Hinata in the worst way possible.

Resigned, he caught his cell phone on the nightstand, checking the time. It wasn’t late yet, he hadn’t slept much. He had some missed calls and messages, but those were from yesterday.

He pouted, erasing the notifications of Kageyama’s missed calls and slowly going through the other messages. There were some from his sister, who he decided to answer first.

> **[23h44]** **Natsu:** shou
> 
> **[23h44]** **Natsu:** your bae called here saying you w
> 
> **[23h44]** **Natsu:** *you went missing
> 
> **[23h46]** **Natsu:** Dont ignore me!! >:(
> 
> **[01h52]** **Natsu:** Mama told me u were found, ru ok??

Hinata bit his lower lip, quickly tipping a reply.

> **[08h44]** **Shouyou:** sorry, I forgot to turn off the airplane mode
> 
> **[08h44]** **Shouyou:** I don’t see no bae

Natsu answered in the blink of an eye.

> **[08h45]** **Natsu:** theres clearly a bae called Kageyama
> 
> **[08h46]** **Natsu:** dont you dare lie
> 
> **[08h46]** **Natsu:** im not a dumb kid anymore
> 
> **[08h47]** **Natsu:** I saw how he looks at u

He stared at her messages wide-eyed. _Even his sister?_

Well, he grimaced to his cell phone, he didn’t need anything more calling his mind back to the problem.

> **[08h47]** **Shouyou:** I’m not lying
> 
> **[08h47]** **Shouyou:** there’s no one
> 
> **[08h47]** **Shouyou:** I left the apart yesterday
> 
> **[08h47]** **Natsu:** !!! >:O
> 
> **[08h47]** **Natsu:** what happened????? >:O
> 
> **[08h48]** **Shouyou:** …stuff happens all the time. And concerning Kageyama it’s the bad stuff usually
> 
> **[** **08h49]** **Natsu:** Kageyama ws searching like crazy for you yesterday
> 
> **[08h49]** **Natsu:** I was so sure there would be a wedding after all this drama :(
> 
> **[08h50]** **Shouyou:** Well I guess he decided to marry someone else then
> 
> **[08h50]** **Natsu:** im serious Shou!
> 
> **[08h50]** **Natsu:** what did you fight for??????
> 
> **[08h50]** **Natsu:** what happened??? :((((((
> 
> **[08h53]** **Shouyou:** He said he regretted inviting me to live together, that I don’t help enough in the house and he is tired and I dont care about his feelings or WTV
> 
> **[08h54]** **Natsu:** what????????

Hinata twitched his lips, letting go of the telephone to get up, stretching and feeling everything hurt, like he concluded would happen. He let a hand go through his hair, scanning his surroundings enough to be sure he was in a guest room of Suga’s and Daichi’s flat. He got up, searching for his backpack on the floor, grabbing it and proceeding to the bathroom.

He regretted looking at the mirror the moment he did it. His hair was terrible, a mess worse than usually, dark circles under his red eyes, the face pale. He wondered vaguely if he looked like that yesterday when Kageyama told him he didn’t want him close anymore.

He quickly took this idea out of his head, or he would start feeling bad all over again. He had some objectives for the day that didn’t include crying his eyes out _again_.

He searched through his backpack, but, as expected, it did only include the items he thought he might have needed during the flight, such as earphones, medicine and a personal hygiene kit. He decided to brush his teeth and put on some deodorant, since he was limited to those options, and put the visit to the gym to get his baggage on the top of his to-do list.

He didn’t look very well on the mirror, but he hoped people wouldn’t notice.

He ran into Suga and Daichi chatting at the living room.

Their living room was very pretty. It had a big veranda with the curtains opened, so the sunlight was flooding the wooden floor, their pair of sofas and the American-styled kitchen. They both were sitting on the white couch, and their eyes jumped to Hinata after he opened the door.

Hinata fidgeted, embarrassed.

“Sugawara-senpai, Sawamura-senpai… Good morning,” he greeted, averting his gaze to his bare feet against their cold floor. “I’ll, uh… Thanks for taking me in yesterday. I’m sorry that I disturbed you two…”

“Hinata,” Suga called, his voice preoccupied. “You’d never disturb us, okay? Why don’t you come here so we can talk?”

“Okay…” the omega agreed; his feet made some muffled noises against the floor as he proceeded, burrowing into the fluffy living room mat in front of the beige sofa he sat on. He risked a peek upwards just to see their calm demeanors. “So…”

“Can you explain what happened yesterday?” Daichi asked, serious. Hinata nodded, it would be good to talk about it now that he was calm… though he could still feel a strange emptiness swirling inside him just from thinking about what had transpired yesterday. Well, they could help him sort his feelings.

“I came back to Japan after a trip with the national team… And we got back late, but my team decided to go out partying, and I went along,” he started, and they both nodded in comprehension. “I sent a message to Kageyama to let him know, but I forgot to turn off the airplane mode… and the message wasn’t sent, but I just noticed it, like, one in the morning. I guess you already know all hell had broken loose by this time.”

“Pretty much yes,” Daichi agreed, nodding as Suga bit his lower lip. “Kageyama sent us a message asking of you…”

“Well, I called him and went home as soon as I noticed he was nervous,” Hinata shrugged, looking at him apologetically. “But he was furious when I got home. And it wasn’t just about this mistake, he was accusing me of not helping home, of just complaining all the time and playing the victim… He was being a jerk,” he described, remembering the rude way the alpha had talked to him the other day.

“He said you don’t help home? Why would he say that now?” Suga mused, frowning.

“That’s what I couldn’t understand… I mean, he never told me that before,” Hinata explained, pursing his lips. “It came out of a sudden, and it had nothing to do with the problem! And he was totally rude.”

“So he started complaining about unrelated stuff? He just put out whatever he wanted, instead of being honest and talking about what was bothering him… It’s clear this is wrong.” Sawamura sighed.

“Ah…” Hinata blurted, raising his eyebrows. “So you think he was wrong.”

“Well, of course,” Suga agreed. “Even if you make a mistake, it’s totally wrong of the other party to be rude, it never solves anything, it just causes an argument. If you explain it calmly, the other party can understand, but just have a fit of anger will help nothing.”

Hinata took a second to absorb. Yeah, they were right, and he was right too for getting angry. Kageyama’s behavior was unreasonable, and Hinata shouldn’t put up with that.

“That’s what I told him, that I didn’t want to be treated like that. But he wouldn’t listen, you know?” Shouyou stared at his lap. “I’m angry with him, he was terrible. Still, I can’t help but feel bad about the things he told me, he hurt me on purpose. And I also said some things in the wrong way too, I got angry and offended by his words and did the same. I’m so frustrated and tired.”

“Oh, Hinata…” Suga’s voice was suddenly sweet and worried, probably sensing the uneasiness in his voice. He moved to sit by the omega’s side and caress his arm fondly. “Of course you’re frustrated, it’s all so sudden. It hurts when people we like treat us like that, even if they are wrong, we still trusted them not to do something like that, and we were betrayed.”

“I know…” he murmured back. “I just feel like suddenly he doesn’t like me anymore, and I don’t understand all of what he said. Did I really do those bad things that hurt his feelings?”

“You should take your time,” Daichi suggested, his voice thoughtful. “You shouldn’t think too much about what he said. From what you explained, he didn’t even tell you properly, it’s impossible to understand if he doesn’t explain his side.”

“You think so?” Hinata echoed, twitching his lips. “It’s burdening me…”

“Yeah,” he replied, giving him a slight smile. “If you want to know more, you should ask him properly, or wait for him to come talk to you. But it’s not your fault, rest assured of that. Fights are like that, we feel hurt and tired, but it will heal, so give yourself your time. There’s no pressure.”

Hinata just stared at him, unable to say anything in return. Something soft bubbled inside him for the first time since the argument. It wasn’t a happily ever after, but it still made him feel better and more confident.

“Daichi is right, and you can stay here in the meantime, okay?” Suga continued to rub his arm reassuringly. “Whenever you make a decision, we can work on that together.”

“Thanks…” Hinata whispered, smiling. “Do you think… I should talk to him? Do you think I should apologize for the bad stuff I said?”

“Well…” Suga started, peeking at Daichi briefly. “If you two don’t talk, you won’t be able to finish or amend things. But it’s like that, you should talk just if you feel comfortable to, there’s no reason to do it if you don’t want to. The same goes for apologizing, if you feel like you did something wrong and want to apologize, then so be it. But don’t apologize because of things that aren’t your fault, and don’t feel sorry for getting angry and offended. He must understand that he made you feel this way and that it’s wrong. Well… just think about it.”

Hinata nodded, leaning on Suga, who smiled to him. Yeah, they were right, he would think if he wanted to talk to Kageyama or not.

The truth is that Hinata wasn’t used to it… Last time he had a big argument, he ended things with Satou — that boy he had been seeing in his first year in Tokyo —, and he could remember he didn’t even consider talking things through with him, Hinata just wanted it to end. It didn’t hurt like this time with Kageyama, he was much more involved now, and it exposed him to these feelings…

It made him feel anxious. What if he talked to Kageyama, and the alpha was a jerk again? Hinata felt like he didn’t want to know, it would make him more angry and sad, but it was also like it wouldn’t stop bothering him if he didn’t do anything about the situation.

Well, he would think about it. Suga and Daichi were right, it was all too sudden, he should take his time.

After that, Daichi gave him hot chocolate milk and some cookies as a little breakfast. Hinata told them he would go to the national team gym to get his baggage from the bus, since he didn’t even have clothes for the day, and his ex-captain offered to drive him there, but he turned him down.

He was already imposing too much on them by staying at their place, he could at least fetch his stuff on his own. He knew the way to the gym perfectly too.

The walk there was a pain. The pretty spring weather decided that Saturday was a very wonderful day to get colder before the summer, so his thin pants and coat left him shaking in chills as he walked on the streets of Suga’s and Daichi’s neighborhood, looking for the train station.

Yesterday Hinata had wondered if they came in his rescue so fast because they lived close by or because they rushed there in top speed. Looking around, he was sure it was the last option, and he confirmed it when boarding the train: it was a station in another line, a little bit far from his place.

It took him forty minutes to get to the gym, and, when he got there, he was chilling in cold, cursing his own stupidity to not have asked for a spare coat from Suga or Daichi. He knew the gym would be working, so he wasn’t surprised to find the large glassy doors wide opened when he approached the building.

By the entrance, the same kind old man of every weekend stood at the other side of the reception counter. Hinata approached him before entering.

“Oh, Hinata-san,” he greeted with a light laugh, looking up at him. “I heard you guys went to a club yesterday, are you here to get your bags? Or did you come to play with Ushijima-san?”

Hinata frowned to him, rubbing his cold sides now that he was inside and looking around. “Ushiwaka is here?”

“He’s here with coach Aogawa and two other people I don’t know,” the old man answered, pointing in the direction of the corridor that led to the volleyball court. “I think Aogawa has the keys of the bus, they weren’t given back yesterday. I was told you must get your bags until tomorrow night. Why don’t you go get it with him?”

Hinata nodded, taking the left corridor, which would lead to the volleyball court.

He could already hear some voices and the sound of snickers against the court floor as he got closer. Why would coach Aogawa and Ushijima be there with strangers? Maybe he was promoting their ace to get sponsors?

When he entered the gym, his eyes instantly followed a ball in the air.

Ushijima was at a side of the court, running to the middle, his eyes up, as if he was ready to spike. There was another player, a setter, he concluded, watching as he jumped and set the ball in the perfect direction and angle for their ace to hit it onto the other side with his immense power.

A setter with pitch black locks moving around his face as he landed down, long, tanned legs, and piercing familiar blue eyes which met his whilst Shouyou stared in shock.

“Kageyama?” he whispered, losing track of anything else as surprise and nervousness traveled through his skin like electricity and the stomach churned uncomfortably. 

Some seconds passed, in which all the other three people in the court turned in his direction as well. Ushijima was the first, silently recognizing his entrance, and the other two tried to talk to him, but all his senses were focused in Kageyama’s face, which he couldn’t read well with such distance between them.

Oh, nice, real nice, that’s all he needed now! Why would Kageyama be on the gym of the national team?

Well, that’s a dumb question. One doesn’t have to think too much to know why he would be there.

“Hinata?” someone asked, shaking his shoulder. Hinata blinked, breathing quickly and looking around to face his coach, Aogawa, who was frowning. He was a little grumpy old man with silver hair and some more kilos than was probably recommended for his height. “Are you okay, kid?”

“’m fine,” he said, shaking his head. “Sorry. What did you say?”

“I’m asking why you are here.”

“Oh, I came to…” Hinata looked down, rubbing his sides nervously again. “To get by bags, which are in the bus, you know?”

“Oh, that. Perfect timing,” Aogawa agreed, turning around to go back to the bench, over which Hinata could see the coach’s bag. “Could you pass on a message? I need you all to take your bags today, the bus will be needed tomorrow.”

“I already know…” Hinata confessed, watching as he came back with the keys tingling in one hand. “I’ll tell the others. Uh… Ushijima…” He raised his eyes to their ace, ignoring the other presence in the court. Ushijima raised his eyebrows, coming closer as he was called. “Did you already get yours?”

“Yeah,” he agreed, stopping some feet away. “You look cold,” he decided to add after some seconds.

“Yeah, it’s cold outside,” Hinata told him, feeling like an idiot for stating the obvious. He laughed nervously, looking down. Man, he felt awkward.

“I’ll give Kageyama a ride home in my car in some minutes, do you want to come too?” he offered, causing Hinata to hold his breath.

His eyes wandered back to Kageyama at the other side of the court, still in the same position he was before, staring at him intensely. Hinata twitched his lips, unsure of what he could say to this, because he wasn’t prepared for this kind of situation just yet.

“Do Kageyama and Hinata live close?” Aogawa asked, looking from the spiker to his middle blocker in confusion.

“Oh, Aogawa, they live _together,_ ” another voice interrupted, a very familiar one, and Hinata gasped when the U20 coach came into his vision field. So _he_ was the other one! Which meant this visit should be about…

Aogawa turned to the other coach.

“What do you mean, they live together? I was told they played together, but not that.”

“But they do, right, Hinata, Kageyama?” his ex-coach, Momose, asked with joy in the voice.

Hinata only averted his gaze, but Kageyama must have agreed, since Momose continued:

“And it’s a great opportunity now that we’re on that. You should watch them playing together! They’re like monsters, Masahiko, I swear!”

That made the omega flinch, looking up and raising his hands, which he held high defensively. “I just came to get my bags, sorry.”

“What? As far as I’m concerned, you’re always thirsty to hit the ball,” Momose told him, crossing his arms. “Is something wrong with you? Now that we came to it, you don’t seem fine at all.”

Aogawa narrowed his eyes to the middle blocker.

“Do you have a hangover? I know Kuroo and the others drink too much,” he said. Hinata shook his head.

“That’s not it… I’m just tired.”

“Can’t you play? I’ve watched you two playing in the U20, but now I know your style and your perks, so it would be interesting to see how he uses it. But, well, if you can’t, then that’s fine,” Aogawa shrugged and Hinata frowned slightly.

“Are you considering him for the team?” he asked, a little bit unsure, and Aogawa nodded. “Ah…”

So Kageyama was being tested that morning? That’s strange, he hadn’t told Hinata anything about it. But, well, they hadn’t been talking much lately anyways.

Okay, he was angry with Kageyama, but it would be unprofessional to refuse to play now because of personal matters. Plus, it would not be nice to refuse and discover later on that he wasn’t accepted to the team, Hinata would feel responsible. If he could help playing, then so be it… Hinata didn’t want… to be the one being unfair now.

“I’ll play then. But just one set,” he gave in, sighing.

He could see as Kageyama flinched at the court. Their eyes met again, and the setter had a confused expression. Hinata averted his gaze, he didn’t want Kageyama to notice he was affected, he would know Hinata felt… Well, he must’ve already noticed by the conversation.

“You two just do as you used to in the U20,” Momose instructed. “The minus tempo with the broad setting, I think it’s appropriate to show Aogawa your best move.”

Hinata nodded, walking to the back of the gym and pulling his thin coat off, pooling it by the wall. He felt cold and terrible, with a migraine and a storm of anxiousness going around his stomach, and he could still feel Kageyama’s gaze burning holes in his clothes. He was given a ball, turning it in his hands and testing the weight.

 _Just do as you’ve always done_ , he told himself. _Like you would’ve done twenty-four hours ago._ _The way that is as natural as breathing._

He threw the ball up, in the position he knew the alpha would be without even looking, then started running, crossing the court in a matter of seconds. He jumped, looking around to search for the ball, and his trance started as it approached, the perfect height, the perfect rotation, the perfect position, and stopped for him to hit it. His eyes quickly jumped to the other side of the court, hitting it in a cross move to the right corner.

It made a loud _bam_ when it hit the floor exactly where he had planned, and Hinata landed on his feet, unstable for some seconds, and still in his trance.

He looked up, turning around, breathless, exhilarated, and his vision locked with Kageyama’s again. They were closer now, so he could see his wide blue eyes, the mouth agape, the deep breaths he was taking, the messy hair. Everything that, after so many years, Shouyou knew so well.

The sensation of hitting the ball right where he wanted, to be at the top of the court and to be the best — these were the views Kageyama had been helping him reach during all those years. They would push each other up, work together and reach their dreams.

They were reaching their dreams now.

His fingers trembled in an urge to touch those ebony locks, like always.

“Oh, I missed those moves!” Momose confessed loudly, taking him out of his realizations with his nostalgic voice. Hinata breathed shallowly, averting his gaze to the floor and rubbing his sides, still captivated. “I tell you, Aogawa, they play together perfectly, Kageyama would be the perfect addition to your team.”

“I guess,” Aogawa agreed. “They do fit, I think. You said they are roommates? So Kageyama’s an omega as well?” Hinata froze at that, taken aback by the question. It was considered very impolite to ask or talk about someone else’s secondary gender, but Aogawa wasn’t typically worried about being meddlesome.

He peeked at Kageyama as he flinched, still looking at Hinata. What was happening? Hinata had been about to…

“Ah, no,” Momose replied, his tone a little bit uncomfortable, clearly aware of the rude content of their conversation. When Hinata turned to him, he had a bothered expression. “He’s an alpha.”

“Oh,” Aogawa blinked, surprised, looking from Hinata to the setter. “So you two are mates?”

“Coach!” Hinata called, totally uncomfortable. He still felt strange, it was better for him to go out before he thought of doing something stupid again. “I really need to get going, can you give me the keys to the bus?”

“Oh, okay,” he agreed, seeming confused by his intensity. He offered the keys to Hinata, who took them hurriedly, running for his coat.

“I’ll leave it at the reception,” he told them, bowing quickly and rummaging to the exit. He eyed Kageyama briefly, feeling those sparks bristling his skin all over again as they stared. That was trouble.

“Hinata,” Ushijima called, causing him to turn around. Hinata twitched his lips, restless. “You won’t accept the ride?”

“No, I’m fine, thanks,” he said, turning around. “I’ll see you later, ‘kay?”

He didn’t wait for the answer, storming out of the gym and taking the corridor that would lead him to the parking lot. The bus was parked close to the door, so he only had to walk a little bit with his thumping heart in the middle of the cold wind. He stopped at the side, trembling, opening the baggage door and quickly scanning everything with his eyes to find his bag.

He wanted to leave this place at that very second. He had to think.

He located his bag, reaching for it. It wasn’t so big, so he pulled it out quickly, placing it on the floor with rasped breaths caused by his nervousness. He checked if he didn’t have anything else scattered inside, and that was when he saw, behind the place where his bag had been before, a little handbag of Ushijima’s. He probably hadn’t seen it earlier since it was behind Hinata’s stuff and had forgotten it, he concluded.

What should he do? Should he go back inside and give it to him? Or carry it? It would be difficult, he guessed, to take it home with him in this cold. He should… Hm…

Oh, he realized. He should call him!

He pulled his phone from the pocket, unlocking and looking for Ushijima’s number. If he called, Ushiwaka could come and get his bag without much more commotion. And Shouyou wouldn’t have to go back and face Kageyama again…

Wakatoshi answered in the third ring.

“Hinata?” he asked, his voice monotone, but with a tinge of confusion. “What’s the matter?”

“I, uh, I found your handbag in the bus when I got my baggage. I think you forgot it.”

“Hm, I see” Ushijima answered. “I’m going out in a second, so can you give it to me at the parking lot?”

“Uh? Y-You and Kageyama are going out already?” he asked, alarmed, and he heard as the ace sighed at the other side.

“No, we’re not, he declined my offer of driving him home just now. Wait for me, I’ll be there soon, I’ll just stop by the changing room to get my training bag.”

“Okay…”

Ushijima was always so direct whenever they talked. In the telephone, it reminded him of Kageyama’s answers, always so small and blunt, evading any conversation and the need for additional messages. He put his phone down, looking at the screen. He would give him his handbag and go back to Suga’s and Daichi’s to think of what transpired today.

“Hinata!”

Hinata flinched when he heard the scream interrupting his thoughts. He looked around to see Kageyama coming from the building.

 _What?_ Kageyama was coming after him?

What was going on? What should Shouyou do? It was like his muscles wanted to twitch, to move, restless. He wanted to do something, anything, but he didn’t know exactly what. He just stood in place, grimacing as Kageyama got closer, breathless. “You’re still here!”

He sounded… relieved?

He stopped then, the hair disheveled, the eyes sparkling in cobalt, piercing and intense as they had been during their set, and Hinata shivered. “Can we talk?”

“What?” he echoed. He took a breath, forcing himself to avert his gaze, damn it Kageyama and his attractiveness. He was wearing the same as inside, a sleeveless shirt and shorts, and it was so cold outside, he must’ve been freezing.

Shouyou’s instinct screamed at him to bring him inside and take care of him. Damn omega nature, it had to understand that this was not his alpha! It didn’t make sense, he had said that he didn’t want to have anything to do with Hinata anymore, and Shouyou still felt exhausted from yesterday.

“I want to talk with you,” Kageyama continued, pouting. “About yesterday.”

“You sent me out yesterday and now you want to talk as if nothing happened?” Shouyou replied bitterly. He had been unreasonable, and Hinata would talk with him when _Hinata_ wanted, and not when _Kageyama_ demanded. “I’m going back.”

“You’re staying somewhere?” Kageyama asked, eyeing his bag in confusion.

“Of course, did you think I’d sleep on the street?”

“No, it’s just…” He twitched his lips, looking up to Hinata’s eyes again, seeming conflicted. “I messed up yesterday.”

Hinata raised his eyebrows to that. Okay, now that was something he wouldn’t have expected. Kageyama was admitting his error? Though he really was in the wrong, it was so sudden, Hinata honestly wasn’t expecting him to change of opinion out of a sudden:

“I said a lot of stuff that didn’t have to do with the situation, and the situation got out of hand. I didn’t want you to go away, I worry about you, it’s not how I wanted things to be…”

“What is that?” Shouyou asked, glaring at him. “So you wanted me to stay quiet while you said whatever? Honestly, Kageyama, I think you’re making things worse, it’s better if we leave it for later.”

“No! I don’t think you should’ve stayed quiet!” he corrected himself quickly. “It’s me who shouldn’t have said all those things that way.”

Kageyama grimaced, raising a hand and letting it go through his ebony locks. His skin was visibly flushed and bristled, he should be feeling cold. Hinata frowned, feeling an urge to hold himself to shield from the cold and his reactions. With trembling lips, the alpha answered:

“I know I said too much, I wanna fix things, at least try to. Let’s talk. I don’t want you to think everything I said yesterday is true.”

Hinata stared at him. Honestly, it was not a smart idea to talk now, he didn’t know if he was ready for that, but at least Kageyama seemed to be honest. Maybe he could give him a chance, even more now that he was calm and polite.

If they talked, he would at least understand what had been bothering Kageyama. Daichi had said, and it was true, he wouldn’t understand unless they talked.

Shouyou breathed deeply. He felt light, maybe it was the nervousness, but it was like his limbs weighted nothing at all, urging him to move and do something. He was angry and hurt, Suga and Daichi had said maybe he should take his time to think, but truth was that he wanted things to be right again, and he wanted it now.

His heart was thumping, anxious, an eagerness to go on. “Okay,” he said, sighing and looking at Kageyama in the eyes. It was too soon to get hopeful. “Let’s talk.”

Then they heard a cough, and both flinched.

Turning to the source of the sound, Hinata got a surprise. There he was, Ushijima, standing some feet away with a fist over his mouth and a flustered expression. “Sorry to interrupt, I came for the bag.”

He had heard their conversation. Ahh, Hinata was _so_ embarrassed!

Not that there was much to be embarrassed about, they didn’t make out or swear their mutual love or anything, but, _man_! It was embarrassing!

“A-Ah, yeah, yeah!” He pulled the bag. Kageyama looked from Ushijima to him, seeming to want a hole to appear for him to hide into. Hinata had never seen him so flushed before. Ushijima took some steps closer, taking his bag, then cleaned his throat.

“Now I see why you both refused my ride.”

“Y-Yeah…” Shouyou replied very smartly. “No, I mean, that was not… But now… Ah, whatever.”

Kageyama didn’t say anything as the ace turned around to him, looking at him for some seconds. “You should go inside and put new clothes, it’s freezing here. And take a bath too,” he prompted calmly. “Well, see you soon.”

Then he said his farewells and went for his _Land Rover_.

Hinata and Kageyama both blinked to him as he disappeared from sight. “Did he just imply I’m smelly?” the setter asked after a while.

“I wonder?” Hinata answered. “He’s blunt usually. But…” He sniffed the air then, grimacing. “Yeah, you are smelly.”

“Hey!” Kageyama complained, narrowing his eyes to him. He was angry now? Well, the whole situation was so strange! Hinata couldn’t help laughing as the setter huffed. Kageyama had a fun glint to his eyes, though, something soft and familiar, and Hinata felt better at the sight. Things seemed comfortable now, like a weight had been taken away.

Then a cold wind caught them, causing both to shiver. “Let’s go inside…” Kageyama gave in, pouting. “To the changing room; they have showers, right?”

“Yeah…” Hinata agreed, pouting as well, pulling his bag as they went inside the gym again. Maybe things could get nice as before. He was anxious to know what Kageyama was going to say.

Hinata had his own secrets too, he thought feeling as something boiled inside him. Stuff that he had been avoiding to say, that made him nervous, excited and worried at the same time, and that he knew he had to let out. Suga had said that, right? That if he said it calmly, they could solve it together, he thought nervously, feeling his face getting hotter even through the cold wind.

Maybe it was time to tell Kageyama his feelings and see what would come from that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there :DDD  
> Sooo that's it, Hinata wants to confess :'))) When I finished this chapter last week, I felt like not much happened, considering the size and all, it seems like the important stuff was all left to chapter 10 (that kinda worries me, I have not finished writing that chapter yet UAHUHASU someone send help). But, hey, what do you think of it? Did you think their next meeting was too soon? UHAUHASU  
> When I was evaluating this chapter to change stuff, I felt like their next meeting was too soon... I mean, instead of taking their time to think, they simply meet again the next day (though by accident). But I decided to keep it like that in the end since I liked the stuff I had planned for this chapter, plus I also reflected some of my personal experiences, if I do something wrong, I just can't wait a whole day to apologize, so I did the same in the story UHAUSHAUSH. Did you find Kageyama's behavior ok? Or is he OOC?  
> I'd like to apologize to everyone who is expecting Ushijima to do something fun in the story, he's just a door, the poor thing UHAUSHAUHS. But I love him, my poor baby who deserved more screen time :'))  
> So the prize of most difficult scene to write goes to Hinata's conversation with Daichi and Suga at the beginning of the chapter!!!!!! I had to rewrite their conversation at least five times, I swear! I wanted them to be impartial, but then it seemed like they were trying to cover for Kageyama's mistakes and everything was going wrong UHAUSAUHS. Then I talked to some friends and they opened my eyes: when we tell someone about an argument, that person usually takes our side, since they don't know the point of view of the other person involved. I kept that in mind and wrote the chapter pending to Hinata's side of the argument, I hope you liked it this way :)) I don't know if it seems right to everyone, but it worked for me, so I'm happy UAHUSHAUS.  
> Well, then I finished this scene and got stuck on the last one UAHUHAS. There was a time I just wanted so much for it to end that I cut a scene in half and wrote Kageyama's death UHAUSHAUS. FORTUNATELLY EVERYTHING WORKED OUT IN THE END. For good or for bad, I love this chapter now. I hope you guys didn't hate this one too UHUAUHSA. 
> 
> Well, I guess that's it. I'd like to thank you all for the AMAZING feedback you gave to the story last chapter, there were some moments these past weeks that I had some crazy existencial crises (I think it's quarentine's fault) and I sat and read your comments, and they made me feel really better. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! You're all INCREDIBLE, I LOVE YOU.
> 
> If I don't go nuts trying to write chapter 10, it'll come out 04/26, so see you then!
> 
> ***EDIT***
> 
> Hey guys, if anyone comes around here looking for the new chapter, it won't be coming on the scheduled date :/  
> I've written about half of the chapter so far (it'll be really long), and I decided to take some more days to finish it instead of posting it half-done and leaving the rest to chapter 11. I hope you can be understanding, and I'm doing my best to make it a good chapter :))


	10. When we apologized in the changing room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He had always been good for Shouyou, and Shouyou wanted to be good for him in return too, fill him with daisies and good feelings. This time he would do his best to cherish their relationship properly.  
> And, well, to do that he had to understand where he had went wrong, the things Tobio had said the night before, even though it was scary."

Hinata sighed as they entered the changing room.

It was so cold outside he thought he and his thin coat would freeze… That spring was so strange, really, and his crazy day wasn’t helping it at all. Going out of his apartment, sleep at Suga’s, concluding he would stay away from Kageyama for a while, then coming to the gym to get his bag and discovering that Kageyama was possibly being evaluated to the national team. He also had to face a lot of stuff he kind of didn’t feel ready for already, and his head and body hurt from yesterday and from the travel and games abroad, man, he was so tired in all aspects of it, and the chilly weather was just making it worse.

Maybe they could postpone their talk to get somewhere warmer. He eyed Kageyama quickly, taking in his cold looked, the bristled skin and dark circles under his eyes.

Well, maybe it wasn’t time to be imposing anything.

He went ahead to one of the benches, sitting down as Kageyama looked around, taking in the wooden benches and blue lockers, peeking curiously at the archway that led to the showers.

“Should we discuss it before or after I take my shower?” he asked. Hinata eyed him up and down just for dramatic purposes.

“Definitely later.”

He narrowed his eyes, so Shouyou let out a slight laugh. “It’s not because you’re smelly, it’s just that you look cold. A shower will do you good. We’re going to… take a while, I guess.”

He pouted for a second before nodding. Then he went on to the shower section, taking his bag, which was sitting on the floor. “I’ll be back in some minutes.”

“Okay…” Hinata sighed nervously, moving his legs back and forth and looking up to the ceiling. If he could, he’d tell the setter to take his time, he’d gladly use the spare time to collect himself together. They were about to have a complicated conversation, so he felt kind of restless, still anxious and with something strange squeezing his chest.

An idea had popped up on his mind when they decided to go to the changing room, and it was all the more concerning:

He thought maybe it was time for him to confess.

Okay, he knew, yeah, he should’ve done that ages ago, he was aware. It’s just that he always had felt so sure of what Kageryama would say. It was clear he wouldn’t want something more, and Hinata felt like what they had was enough, just kisses and spending time together… They didn’t need to date, to have anything deeper and more serious. It had been some months like that, but…

The truth is that Hinata… wanted to have something more.

He didn’t want things to end, it was deep already, it was serious, it already worried him. He would always tell himself that things were fine like this, but the truth was that he was afraid of asking for more, but lying about what he felt wasn’t fair either. He had concluded just now that talking was the best solution, but then he had been running away from talking for such a long time.

He didn’t want things to end up like that again, miscommunication and arguments… It was like Kenma had said, it could get complicated. Even if they weren’t together, thinking of his life without Kageyama as a friend would be like a puzzle with a missing piece, unimaginable.

Maybe Kageyama would say no and break his heart, but he would do it without ruining things. They would still be friends, as they had always been. Maybe it would hurt a lot, but it would come sometime, they couldn’t keep this unnamed thing forever.

Yeah, that was the thing to do. Tell him and go on. That was the right thing.

 _Logically_ , that is. But the thought made something swirl inside him, causing him to flinch slightly as steam came from the shower area.

He blinked in surprise when the sound of the showers stopped. Uh, Kageyama was already finished?

That was unnerving! Hinata twitched his lips, playing with his fingers over the lap. It would be over soon, he told himself.

It didn’t take the setter long to come back, spreading scent of soap and alpha shampoo around as the sound of his flip flops against the wet tiled floor echoed inside. He was wearing a simple shirt and dark pants, his hair was damp, and Hinata followed it with his eyes as he got closer, standing some feet away and pouting as he looked down to the bench the ginger was sitting on.

“We can sit together if you’d like,” Hinata offered, eyeing the empty spot by his side and then looking up at him again. Kageyama clicked his tongue.

“Sorry, I’m overthinking,” he confessed, sitting down and pulling the towel on his neck to rub his hair.

“No,” Hinata murmured, following with his gaze a water drop that slid down his jawline. It probably tickled, he thought, rubbing his tense arms. “It’s normal.”

They kept silent for a while after that, just allowing the nice scent and hot air to fill the changing room. Shouyou watched as he rubbed his hair, then pulled the towel down, leaving a mess behind. Cobalt-hued eyes fell on him, and his heart squeezed just a little.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Kageyama started, straight to the point. “I’m sorry that I treated you like that yesterday. Anything I tell you now would be an excuse, so…” He twitched his nose for a second, averting his gaze to the lockers. “I said everything the wrong way, some weren’t even true. I just got so angry about a lot of stuff in the past weeks and I kinda let it all out.”

Hinata breathed slowly, pondering his words.

It was like he had said outside… Kageyama regretted what happened the day before. He was bowing his head, their relationship mattered more to him than pride, he was being mature and he cared about Hinata. It wasn’t easy to do that, to admit a mistake and give up his own point.

But that’s the thing… Hinata had done bad things too. He had said bad stuff to try and hurt Kageyama back, he had followed his lead because he was offended. Tobio may have started it, but he was wrong too. Guilt pooled inside him.

Keeping a relationship was difficult.

He had to be mature too.

“I said stupid things too. I’m sorry.” He thought maybe the words would burn his throat as much as his stomach was burning, but it was easy to pull it out, like taking a weight out of him. “About the message, that was unintentional. But I said bad stuff, and it wasn’t nice, I’m really sorry about what I said. I want us to get things right this time.”

“It’s okay…” Kageyama murmured, looking up at him with expectant eyes. “So can we be on good terms again?”

“Yes,” Hinata agreed. The word was small, scared, laced with disbelief. There was still hope living inside him, the same that shone in Kageyama’s eyes, which seemed to put flower inside his heart and pull the negativity away. His chest felt light, springy, full of the good things the alpha brought to him. Shouyou smiled. They would make it better together and keep going, and that was a breeze of relief.

Kageyama too seemed to relax his posture, as if he had any doubts that Hinata would agree. How could he say no when Kageyama had been so mature to come and apologize? He had always been good for Shouyou, and Shouyou wanted to be good for him in return too, fill him with daisies and good feelings. This time he would do his best to cherish their relationship properly.

And, well, to do that he had to understand where he had went wrong, the things Tobio had said the night before, even though it was scary.

He sighed, leaving the peace aside for now.

“We still have to talk. You said other stuff yesterday too, things that were bothering you,” he said, pondering the words carefully. “I want to understand what happened, where I went wrong…”

Kageyama just blinked in surprise for a second, seeming taken aback.

“We can talk,” he gave in after thinking for a moment. “You’re right… It’s best to talk now than to let things get like yesterday again.”

Good, good.

“So… why were you angry? You said other stuff had been bothering you these past weeks,” Shouyou asked hesitantly, feeling tense. His throat squeezed slightly, spreading around uneasiness to his muscles. “What have you been keeping to yourself?”

Silence fell upon them again as Kageyama seemed to ponder his words. Hinata watched as he pouted; the blue eyes sparklied as he looked upwards to the ceiling.

“You know, I’m really happy for you, that you entered the national team, I mean,” he stated. Shouyou leaned his head to the side as he listened. If the alpha decided to start his explanation like that, then it meant… “I know you have wanted that for so long, and I know you’ve worked really hard for it, well, I’ve seen all that. So I’m happy.”

“But?” Shouyou incited, and Kageyama gave him a side-glance before proceeding:

“But… ever since you got there, you’re so busy. I do understand you have a lot of things to do now, but it’s been bothering me,” he confessed, licking his lips quickly.

It actually made sense.

“You feel like I don’t stay with you anymore?” Hinata interrupted, following his thoughts. “Because, to be honest, lately I’ve been feeling like I don’t stay at home much, so I don’t see you too…”

“Yeah, there’s this too,” he agreed. Hinata thought what else it could be, but he explained soon after: “I feel like we’re growing apart these weeks? You’re always busy. And now that you have less time, I have to do more stuff in the apartment, and it’s been tiring, like… I had tests in university a while ago, and the results were a tragedy, so I had to study, but, between doing the chores and the trainings in U20 and the team in university, I barely managed to make time for it.”

“Oh,” Hinata blurted, taken aback. Oh, he had had tests.

Shouyou was aware that Kageyama’s tests were really complicated — he couldn’t even start to comprehend how he was able to study math, really, it seemed like it came from another world. Kageyama had to stress with his grades and subjects, and he was getting tired and trying to deal with a lot of things too.

Truth be told, Hinata hadn’t payed that much attention to Kageyama these past weeks. He had been so focused on all his problems… He was overwhelmed with everything and mesmerized with the national team.

With all that, he hadn’t even seen that Kageyama was struggling with his own problems.

“I didn’t know that you had had trouble with tests,” he said, fisting his hands over the lap.

“That’s because I didn’t tell you,” Kageyama retorted. He hadn’t shared something so simple… “We haven’t been having much time to talk recently…” He stopped then, glaring to the floor.

It was true. They hadn’t been talking much. Hinata hadn’t been keeping the relationship properly. He hadn’t been trying to, leaving it aside unintentionally. The consequences were there, clear as water.

Silence weighted in the air, filling his lungs with sadness.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured then, looking at the tiled floor too and feeling his heart falling down. “I haven’t been talking to you like I should, I was so focused on me that I let our relationship aside. I’m sorry that I left everything for you to do, it wasn’t fair, we should’ve shared the chores.

He hesitated for a second before phrasing the last part, these words hurt his throat differently from previously:

“I didn’t want you to feel like you couldn’t tell me things…”

Kageyama shook his head almost immediately.

“It’s not that I couldn’t tell you things, it’s just…” He stopped then, seeming to choose his words carefully. “Okay, it was like that: I felt like you wouldn’t care, since you didn’t even ask much about how I was doing, you just spent time with your team. You didn’t seem interested on me or on our time together. And also, well…

He went quiet, seeming not to know how to explain his point. Shoyou wondered if he should interrupt, but then he frowned and got back on track:

“I know I should expect you to do this, but… I thought you would notice that I needed help too, you know. That you would be concerned about me. I wanted you to help me. But then you wouldn’t say anything, it felt like everything was one-sided… I didn’t want to bring it up because it’s stupid…”

“Hey, it will never be stupid if it bothers you,” Hinata interrupted him, reaching a hand for his shoulder and squeezing lightly.

Now he could understand that stuff Kageyama had screamed the other day about Hinata not caring about what he felt or recognizing his efforts.

Kageyama had done so much for Hinata. He always asked how he felt or pampered him, made time for him and his problems. It wasn’t even now, it had always been like that, and it was one of the reasons why Shouyou always felt welcome. He, on the other hand… had taken it for granted. He didn’t even reciprocate as he should’ve done. He thought Kageyama would tell him when he wanted to tell, that he didn’t need to be proactive. Not putting pressure on him and simply not showing any interest on what he felt were completely different things.

Kageyama thought he wasn’t important to Shouyou, that he wasn’t needed.

He had always, _always_ been there for Shouyou, his safe place, and Shouyou wasn’t there for him.

Just thinking about it made Hinata want to cry.

“Okay, let’s make things clear,” Shouyou started. It was so wrong in so many ways, and he had to fix it, or at least try to. “You’re important to me, and your feelings aren’t stupid, I want to know about them, if you want to tell me. And I like to be with you, I like our time together. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you,” he continued, sighing and putting a hand on his forehead. This time the words slipped from his lips easily, flowing like a river, since it was all the truth. “You’re always there for me, and I want to do the same. I’m really, really sorry. I didn’t want to be ungrateful like that, everything you do for me, it’s important. It makes me happy; it’s special; it’s home, you know? You make it feel like that, and I should show you just how important you are the same way you make me feel important everyday.”

Kageyama just stared at him for some seconds, seeming to take in his words. Shouyou felt his eyes stinging, so many emotions mixing inside.

He never wanted to be someone like that. It was so disappointing, but he wanted to change, he would learn and be better this time. Kageyama was giving him a chance to redeem as well.

He almost felt his heart stop when the alpha’s his cheeks got a light blush and he looked down, giving him a slight smile, the most beautiful thing in the world. “I’ll tell you when you’re stupid then.”

Tobio beamed lively, colorful like a garden, Hinata thought, as the feelings bloomed inside him in utter relief. It was impressive how fast the setter could change his mood, that’s the importance their relationship held to him.

“I’m glad you told me that. It was nice of you, thanks.” It would be okay. It really would.

“No problem,” the alpha said, shrugging. “I guess I should’ve told you a long time ago. Keeping it to myself was eating me alive, Izumi told me I should tell you, but I just wouldn’t.”

Oh, Izumi?

“Izumi? You mean Eiji? You talked to him yesterday?” Hinata asked, surprised. Now that was someone Shouyou hadn’t heard of for a while now.

Izumi Eiji was one of Kageyama’s friends and teammates from university… Maybe you can’t remember him, since he was last mentioned such a long time ago. That omega teammate whom Hinata had met when he went to talk to Kageyama after a competition a year or two ago? That was him. Yeah, it’s been a long time. He was a nice person, though Shouyou hadn’t talked much with him.

“Yeah, I’ve been asking him and some other friends for advice lately… I ended up telling them everything yesterday,” he explained, shrugging again. “But it was good, he was the one who told me I should talk to you. I was feeling really anxious after our argument, and I was anxious about the test today too, so it went downhill pretty fast.”

“Oh, yeah! The test today!” Shouyou widened his eyes. “I was really surprised, you know? Coach Aogawa didn’t tell me anything about it.”

“I was going to tell you, but it happened in the middle of everything else,” Kageyama explained, turning to Shouyou and placing a hand over the bench. “But now it’s over.”

Hinata barely could process his word choice.

“Over? Didn’t you get in?” Hinata asked, already anxious. Had he ruined Kageyama’s opportunity?

“I don’t know yet, he said he would let me know later if I was scouted or not,” he confessed, seeming thoughtful and interrupting his dramas. “I guess he has other candidates to evaluate. But, if I’m in, I’ll surely tell you this time, I promise. No more secrets,” he added, giving him a small, sincere smile.

Something melted inside Hinata just by looking at him.

He seemed fine now, still disheveled, with dark circles under his eyes, but calm and happy. Everything was getting in place again. Kageyama was worth his courage, his heart and so much more.

That’s the kind of relationship they had, one that would make him warm and fuzzy, one that would make him want to improve and do his best every day, the place to belong.

No more secrets, right?

“Speaking of which… I have some stuff I have to tell you too.”

Yeah, it was time. Maybe it was a fairy tale? That would explain the way his heart felt so full, overflowing, _thump, thump, thump_. His eyes were stinging, and suddenly he wasn’t afraid of being rejected anymore.

There was no place to fear amidst so much tenderness. “There is some stuff I’ve been keeping from you. For a long time.”

He was beginning to smile when Kageyama interrupted him like an earthquake:

“Please, don’t say you’re going out with Ushijima.”

Uh?

Uh…

Hinata let the smile down, blinking in confusion. _Ushijima?_ What?

“What? Of course not,” he retorted, frowning in disbelief. “Where did this come from?”

Kageyama sighed in relief, which added to Hinata’s confusion.

“Oh, so you’re not…” he said, sighing a second time. What? Why would he think something like that? As Hinata looked suspiciously at him, he explained: “I had been thinking of it for a while now, since you always come home with his scent… I know friends touch, and the scent could easily stick to you, but I couldn’t help but wonder…”

“Oh, so that was because of the scent…” Shouyou echoed. It was true that he had been smelling of Ushijima, Kageyama even brought that up before his trip some days ago. Still, he wouldn’t have expected the setter to reach a conclusion like that. That’s just more proof that they should talk more, he would never guess what was on Kageyama’s mind, and Kageyama probably had no idea what was on his. “Well, I’m not going out with him, it’s just that his scent sticks anywhere like glue. I would not go out with anyone while we have… this thing going on between us.”

“You wouldn’t?” the setter repeated, seeming curious with something lighting in his blue eyes. “But we have no agreement and nothing to hold you back.”

“We don’t, but… That’s the thing.” Shouyou took a second to think how he should phrase this. His face felt hotter, and the throat squeezed nervously. Yeah, that was it… “I wouldn’t go out with anyone else because I _don’t want_ to. I don’t want to be with anyone else.”

“You…” Kageyama started, and he looked at Hinata with raised eyebrows as he let the words linger in the air in expectancy.

Something in his face made Shouyou feel the heart overflowing again. His eyes seemed like rivers, cascading down his face in pure, honest feelings, watering the colorful flowers in Shouyou’s chest with intense feelings. Did he know what Shouyou would say? Or was he thinking of something else? Was he afraid? The butterflies went up Hinata’s throat, trying to pull the words out with them. The omega straightened his posture, breathing deeply. His hands trembled over his lap.

It wasn’t a fairy tale after all, but he loved it just like that.

“I like you,” he confessed. He felt hot, and his chest was squeezing, and he wanted desperately to just get up and walk around the room, maybe it would appease the butterflies. “I want to date you.”

That… is it.

He said it.

His heart felt strangely calm, brimming with water and sunlight, and it felt really strange and scary and exhilarating at the same time, something he couldn’t really name any other way than happiness. He had waited so much to do that, months pondering if he should tell, years to realize what he felt, pulling it out was like finally going out after years looking what he wanted from the windows of his heart.

He was diving in his feelings, then he took in Kageyama’s face.

Widened eyes, dumfounded. It wasn’t happiness, just shock. Something was glinting in his cobalt irises, but Hinata couldn’t recognize what it was.

Oh. _Oh._

His chest squeezed again, overflowing even more, mixing different feelings together. All the colorful atmosphere suddenly got a gray hue, seeping the happiness. He smiled again, sadly, but truthful. He had expected that, it was fine.

“You don’t have to feel the same or to accept something more,” he said. Kageyama was shocked, and he would never have expected anything like that… Maybe he didn’t like anyone this way, he didn’t like dating and stuff… Shouyou had to be mature. “I understand that you don’t want to, you don’t like relationships and all…”

“ _No!_ ” Kageyama interrupted. His voice felt like a rumble, and Hinata looked at him in surprise.

His cheeks were dusted in red and his eyes sparkled again, begging Shouyou to understand. He knew those sparkles, he knew this shade of blue, he… was afraid of saying he could read Kageyama this time…

Tobio’s lips trembled, wavering as his eyes, and then he said:

“I want to.”

It felt like time stopped for a second and the words lingered in the air between them.

“Wait. You want to date?” Hinata asked, trying to assimilate.

“Yeah,” Tobio said, the voice small, deep, brimming with admiration, as if the situation was all a dream unfolding in front of him. “I want to be with you.”

“You want to… Really?” he mumbled, unable to form a coherent answer.

Restlessness resurfaced, that kind of feeling that makes you want to get up and dance, do something, that nice, confusing and warm feeling that puts a smile on your face and sting your eyes without your permission.

It was unbelievable.

His heart felt so full, he couldn’t even understand.

“You like me back?” he stuttered, breathless.

“Yeah,” Kageyama agreed, pouting to try and hold back his own smile, causing him to have the cutest expression Hinata had ever seen and, _pop_ , there it was, a new flower. “I like you.”

Hinata laughed. He felt like an idiot now.

He reached a hand for Kageyama’s, which was on the bench, and flinched as he felt his skin so cold. Tobio laughed back, turning his palm upwards and holding Hinata’s, caressing his rough hand with the thumb. Small hot lines traveled around his skin coming from the place where they touched.

Kageyama looked at him, he looked at Kageyama. He had the deepest blue eyes Shouyou had ever seen. So many years had passed, and, still, Tobio was always surprising him.

They leaned closer without thinking. A warm breath touched his nose, and Hinata felt goosebumps. It was real and touchable, and he felt like his heart would stop when their lips met.

It was cold, ouch, Hinata had expected him to be warmer after the bath. Slowly his hands went up and held Shouyou’s face, delicate and freezing fingertips sending shivers down his spine and the soap scent filling his senses as they kissed slowly. His skin bristled, he felt like he could flutter, and Shouyou knew what Tobio was trying to say with the lips that slid over his, taking Hinata’s warmth away.

As they separated, he looked at the alpha, and his cheeks hurt from how much he wanted to smile. His heart squeezed, almost like it was making fun of him, _look, stupid, and here you were getting all confused about everything._

“I thought it wouldn’t be possible. You always said… You’re not interested in romance, right?” Shouyou asked, breathing fast. “When we were in school, you said that you weren’t interested in mates and all, and you never went out with anyone.”

“I said that when we were in school? That was, like, a thousand years ago, how can you remember that?” Kageyama complained, laughing, and his breath hit Hinata’s skin. He seemed so happy, it was like both of them could walk over clouds. “I thought I wouldn’t change, too, I never felt anything for anyone. But I realized it so much later, when I went out with someone else.”

Oh, someone?

“You went out with someone?” Shouyou asked, confused, leaning backwards to see him better. “You never told me… Was it before we agreed on telling each other if we had someone else?”

Hinata had asked Kageyama once to tell him when he was going out with someone. It was after Shouyou had finished things with Satou, and Kageyama said they could trust each other. It’s not that he had an obligation to follow their agreement, he could’ve already forgotten and all, but Shouyou always thought they were close enough to share something like that.

“Actually…” Kageyama averted his gaze, seeming embarrassed. “It was going on when you asked that.”

When he had asked that?

“ _Oh._ ” That was surprising in so many ways that Hinata didn’t even know what to feel. He had always thought that Kageyama hadn’t told him anything because there was nothing to tell. Well, now it seemed that he didn’t tell anything because he didn’t want to. “Didn’t you want to tell me?”

“No, that’s not it,” Kageyama interrupted him. “It’s because I had so many things going on in my head and I didn’t know how to tell. Wait, I’ll go from the beginning.”

“If you don’t want to tell… it’s okay,” Hinata added, although he felt confused that Kageyama had hidden something like that. Why wouldn’t he tell?

Not that he had anything to do with that, Kageyama was free to do as he pleased… But he was curious. It was kind of a strange feeling to know that Kageyama had been going around with someone in secret, having a hot love affair while Hinata watched cheesy romcoms on Netflix.

“No.” He shook his head and his forehead glinted where the damp locks were sticking to his skin. “I want to tell you. Everything.”

“Oh…” Shouyou let out, biting his lower lip. He couldn’t even guess what he would tell, but there was a ton of possible lovers going through his mind. Kageyama let him go, straightening his posture.

“So…” Kageyama started, breathing deeply, the eyes travelling around the room. “When you started to see Satou, I got… conflicted. I still couldn’t understand what I felt for you. I had never wanted to be with anyone before, but it started to come to my mind when you went out with Satou. I mean, relationships and stuff. I didn’t know exactly what to think or feel, like, why was it bothering me so much? Was it because I wanted to be with someone too?”

“I see, like envy?” Hinata prompted, and Kageyama nodded.

“I thought it could be it. Then, some weeks after you two started going out, I met Miya Atsumu by chance at the train station.”

“Miya?” Hinata echoed, frowning. So it had been Miya? Miya, the setter of the national team? Before entering the team, they wouldn’t even talk, they just met on the competitions in high school. Wait, so Miya and Kageyama had been making out?

“Yeah,” the alpha agreed, licking his lips. “We exchanged numbers, and he invited me to go out one day, you know, to talk. Then I went. And he wouldn’t stop hitting on me. You know he is obvious.”

“I know,” Hinata said. Atsumu was rude to his fans, but he still loved to flirt with the people he was interested on.

“Well… I felt kinda strange about it, but I still wanted to know more. I was interested. So I went along, and I met him some more times, and things unfolded… Do you remember that you asked me last time how I could remember Ushijima’s scent? It was because they were on the same team, and Miya had his scent sometimes when we met…”

“That… actually makes a lot of sense,” Shouyou commented, frowning. He would never have expected that!

“He helped me understand what was going on in my heart, though,” Kageyama started, interrupting his thoughts again, and Shouyou blinked as he got back on track. “Like, I had thought I wanted to have someone too, but then I felt like it wasn’t what I was looking for… It wasn’t supposed to be someone, it had to be _you_.”

Hinata just raised his eyebrows, feeling the stomach squeezing and completely forgetting about the images of Kageyama and Miya kissing. And that was a real quick way of making someone’s insides steam. He felt the face blushing as the setter went on:

“We had been close for so long and it was comfortable, then you went away with someone else and my alarms started going off. Even instincts too,” he explained. Then he seemed embarrassed, avoiding Hinata’s gaze and twitching his lips. “Do you remember that I started to give you stuff? I wasn’t aware, but it was courting.”

“Courting?” Shouyou repeated, genuinely shocked. “You were _courting_?”

Okay, let’s go step by step before you start to work yourself up. Courting is one of the things couples did when they wanted to marry — and mate — in the future. As you’re probably guessing by the words “marry” and “mate”, it’s something very serious. The process probably was more complicated, from the shows Hinata had watched, usually people would discuss their relationship, their expectations and all, but usually everyone gave more attention to the sugar-coated steps: exchanging gifts, pampering, swearing love, going out on fancy dates, this and that. It all came on the ‘ _I’m courting you’_ box.

Hinata wouldn’t hear much about that, but, well, teens and young adults weren’t always trying to court. It was something very… intimate.

“I thought you just wanted to cheer me up?” he prompted, confused, feeling the butterflies in his chest again. Kageyama shook his head.

“But I started to give you stuff before you broke up with Satou. I was trying to show how I knew you better and could be a good option, but I hadn’t even realized that. That was not nice, it’s like I was trying to disrupt you two, and it wasn’t my place to do something like that, but I just got to understand it weeks later when I talked about it with Miya.”

“You talked about what was going on with Miya?” Hinata echoed, still trying to process everything.

“Yeah…” Kageyama agreed, licking his lips again. “I told him the things I thought, what I was doing, and he helped me realize that I actually liked you. We continued going out for some weeks, but I knew I didn’t want to have anything with him, because… it was you.”

Kageyama blushed again, seeming uncomfortable, and he always hated to talk about his feelings, Hinata was aware. The omega averted his gaze, looking up and down the blue lockers, feeling all soft and stupid. Why worry about whatever he and Miya Atsumu had had, the boy was there saying he only had eyes for Hinata. Soon he would turn into jelly if things went on like that.

“S-So, why didn’t you say anything after you and Miya broke up?”

“What? About us going out? Or my feelings?” He murmured the last part. Hinata eyed him, feeling his face hot too.

“Both?”

“Well… I just didn’t know how to say it,” Tobio confessed, shrugging. “I just never thought you’d like me back, but you let me continue giving you gifts, so I went on. I would never have expected you to like me back, but then you kissed me at the wedding.”

“Ah, yeah…” Hinata agreed, embarrassed. That impulse on the wedding had been his salvation, honestly. Kageyama was so pretty that day.

Not that he wasn’t pretty right now too, with the disheveled wet locks and the flushed skin. Hinata reached a hand, combing his hair with the fingers, and Kageyama flinched in surprise for a second, then he leaned his head on Hinata’s hand, and Shouyou couldn’t help but feel the heart warm.

“What are you doing?” the setter asked, and there was a tinge of a smile on his voice. Shouyou smiled back.

“Hey, Kageyama, will you date me then?” he asked, giving in to the impulse like during the wedding. Kageyama really smiled this time.

“Of course.”

These words were warm, like a shelter, the same as always. All Hinata’s insecurities dissipated in the air, overcame by happiness.

Hinata laughed, pulling his hair backwards the same style as the wedding. When the day started, that definitely hadn’t been the development he would’ve expected. Now Kageyama Tobio, his rival, his friend, the volleyball genius idiot with beautiful eyes, was his _boyfriend_.

Ah, it was so fun to use this word

Hinata didn’t even know what it was like to have a boyfriend, but he was so excited to find out!

He had to tell Kenma! Maybe he would have some advice since he had been dating Kuroo for a while now. And he should let Suga and Daichi know that he would be going back to his apartment today! He would have the whole afternoon to be with Kageyama, that was so nice!

In the end, he did ask Kageyama yesterday on his message to save that afternoon to him, but things got so crazy! He couldn’t even believe they were back on that!

Kageyama stared at him as Shouyou combed his hair, seeming to be enjoying everything. The ginger smiled and murmured: “My boyfriend looks nice with his hair like that.”

He blinked in surprise just for a second before whispering back:

“Do you like it?” Hinata nodded, and he let his fingers go down to Kageyama’s ears, tracing his jawline and snorting when he flinched and grimaced. “It tickles,” he complained.

Everything was okay.

Kageyama leaned closer, touching their foreheads for a second and staring in his eyes, as if savoring the moment. Shouyou’s smile slowly subsided as his wet fingers went through Tobio’s hair. Now the alpha’s forehead felt hot, maybe he had turned his internal heater on, that would explain how red his cheeks were. The scent of shampoo and home still lingered in the air as their breathes mingled slowly.

Everything was silent when they kissed again.

It was brief, like trying something new. Maybe the flavor would be different now? Shouyou felt so many things go through his skin. They separated, but just so they could breathe deeply, with the eyes closed, then they kissed again.

And again.

And again.

Fifteen-years-old Shouyou wouldn’t ever believe that Kageyama’s kisses could be so devoted, going up his cheek like whispered secrets. He wouldn’t even believe that nineteen-years-old Shouyou would want to know more, would hold his neck, feel the bristled skin under his digits and jump closer.

A hand went down his side, sending shivers everywhere and reminding him of how cold it was. He cupped Kageyama’s cheeks, pulling him to another kiss and feeling his chest fluttering. That hand stopped at the hem of his shirt, light and quiet, it didn’t press him to do anything.

Slow and gentle was replaced with demanding, with deep, strange feelings that they were still trying to understand. Mouths going down the skin, small sobs now and then, hands venturing on their backs and shoulders. Shouyou was entranced as he kissed down Kageyama’s jawline, hearing his breathing. Leaning down, he kissed his neck.

The hand on his hip would just play with the shirt, tickling the skin under the coat and making Hinata clench the muscles as something pooled down there. He could easily imagine those fingers going up and taking his shirt off, going down and sliding on the curve of his ass to…

It felt good, he thought, but everything seemed to be going too fast. Was he overthinking? Maybe. He wanted to try a lot of things, things that he wished to learn under Kageyama’s touches, and he seemed to feel the same way.

He stopped the kisses, pulling his jacket down and exposing his arms to the air. The skin complained, bristled, asking him to make it hot again. Maybe it would feel better when the hands that were teasing him could touch it.

He threw the jacket on the ground, looking back at Kageyama again. He had big intense eyes going down Shouyou’s collarbone, as if he wanted to know what else was down there. There was a small red mark on his neck, the place Hinata had kissed, and he reached a hand for it, watching as Kageyama flinched under his touch.

Then his hands got back in motion, and the alpha reached for his waist, pulling him closer. Shouyou got up, considering sitting on his lap, but he decided just to stand in front of him, watching how his skin got darker where Shouyou’s body cast shadows on him.

He was so beautiful, damn.

The alpha reached a hand up, tracing Shouyou’s hot cheeks with such delicacy that made him shiver yet again. Tobio’s fingers went around his jaw, taking place on the neck and pulling him down so that he could kiss his neck, just a single kiss. Then he murmured against the skin, as if imprinting the words with warmth: “You said we should be honest about everything, right?”

“You want to talk again?” Hinata asked, between laughing and complaining as he felt his breath tickling the skin. It was close, close to that place where he shouldn’t be touched, the glands. The most sensitive, intimate place of all, and just the thought of his hands touching there was good in a way that sent goosebumps everywhere.

It was cold and Kageyama’s breathing went up, trying to reach Hinata’s ear, his sensitive spot. He got the closest he could, but his breath just touched Shouyou’s jawline.

“There’s something I’ve been thinking of for some weeks now,” he said against his skin, and Shouyou closed his eyes in awe, trying his best to stand still. His voice was slightly husky and deep, brimming with secrets that he spoke so quietly to the ginger: “I want to have sex with you.”

Shouyou felt immediate goosebumps just by hearing it.

Laying down, taking the clothes off and touching Kageyama everywhere? And have _Kageyama_ touch him everywhere? His body reacted before he could even process it completely, pooling warmth down there, telling him how a nice idea it was, and…

They had never done something like that before. They would always stop, always busy, tired, and they had never talked about it.

But now they had the whole afternoon together.

Alone.

_Oh._

“You want to… but, like, _now_?” Hinata asked, flinching when Kageyama nuzzled his neck before pulling away to look at him.

He had intense eyes, disheveled hair and crimson cheeks, and he wanted Hinata, and, damn, Hinata _wanted_ him. Even with the sexy husk voice, he still had tension in his eyes, the same Shouyou knew so well.

Hinata was… Well, a virgin. He hadn’t gone so far with Satou, didn’t even want to, it wasn’t the right moment. There were a bunch of times these last months that he thought he and Kageyama would do it, though it never happened.

Kageyama was right, they should talk. He fidgeted, embarrassed, as Tobio answered with trembling lips and a red face: “If don’t like it, it’s fine, I don’t know if you’re interested on that stuff, but…”

“Hm…” he let out, averting his gaze. He wanted to do it. Just thinking of it made him feel self-conscious, but interested at the same time. He could remember Kageyama’s hands on the hem of his shirt, those feelings swirling inside him. “It’s fine…”

Kageyama huffed, seeming to not have expected him to agree. Shouyou smiled embarrassed, the cheeks flaring up immediately, peeking at the door.

“But we’re in the changing room here is a bit…”

“We can go back to the apartment,” he suggested quickly, straightening his posture. “And get some blankets too, it’s cold here.”

“Yeah,” Hinata agreed, flustered. It was cold, but that just made the thing more exciting. “It is. And I want to take a shower before too.”

Maybe it was an impulse, but, well… Hinata wanted to give it a try. With that settled, they finished their long conversation, put on their coats and faced the cold air to go back to their apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's pretend Eiji was missing for various chapters because Hinata didn't talk to him and not because the author forgot all about him until now.
> 
> SO AUHSUAHSUHAUS HELLO THERE  
> I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THE CHAPTER  
> I have a lot of stuff to say, so be patient, please UAHUAUSH. I'll list it cause I always feel like I forgot something  
> 1\. Hinata finally confessed :')) Did you like the conversation? I wanted to make everything as clear as possible, but there were so many topics, it was a lil bit confusing for me, I would always remember something that was missing and write again uahsuahsuahs. It was very tiring, I have no idea how many times I wrote that conversation again. I was working on that even before posting last chapter, and every day I opened the story and changed something on it. But I'm glad I did, this way I can say I did my best and I'm posting something I'm satisfied with :))  
> 2\. This chapter was supposed to have a second part, it's not ready yet, and I didn't want to make it super long (for my standards, that is), so I split it in half, chapter 11 will go exactly from where this one stopped. Hence we now will have 20 chapters total, the number was changed on the story some days ago. And we're now halfway done, hurray :DDDD  
> 3\. Please don't hate me because of the cliffhanger, I love you all  
> 4\. I did not proofread this time, so please forgive my mistakes too  
> 5\. FINALLY THE ARGUMENT IS OVER!!!! It was a pain for me ever since chapter 8, but I don't regret it, I feel like I've learned a lot with this :)) I'm grateful for the feedback you've been giving me, I always reflect about what you tell me and how I can improve, so thanks a lot!!!!  
> 6\. I decided not to put dates to the next chapters anymore. I'll continue writing as always, but I just feel like the schedule was adding to my anxiety. I hope you can be understanding about the posts, it will probably take more time for me to update, but I won't stop writing :))  
> 7\. Thank you all for reading and commenting and, well, giving me love!!! You're all really incredible, we're almost on 400 kudos and I still can't believe it. It's a lot of people!!! Thank you all :')))))
> 
> See you next chapter \o


	11. When you gave yourself to me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The alpha pulled slightly away and stared at him again. His eyes were so close that Hinata felt like he could count the small blue stars popping on his irises and calling him to discover more.  
> “You sure you wanna do that? If you don’t want to, we can wait,” Tobio whispered, and the words caressed Hinata’s nose, making this secret feel so real. Of course he was nervous and all, but Shouyou didn’t have a doubt about what he wanted to do.  
> “Yeah. You?” he asked. Tobio nodded once, the cheeks still adorably red.

His day was busy so far, Hinata could say. He woke up a mess, went to the gym, helped Kageyama with his test for the national team (incredible as it is, wow), they talked and sorted everything, including Hinata’s feelings, a love confession, and now they were dating.

And then they decided to go home to…

Well… have sex.

His mind was clearly split in two groups: one was screaming about how _awesome_ and _exciting_ it was, and, damn, Kageyama was hot _as fuck_ and he couldn’t wait to know what it felt like, you know. _It._ The other half was sitting in silence in a dark room with a fist under the chin looking at the night sky and reflecting on how much it would _hurt_.

That is, well… something big. Going there.

It’s not like Hinata had never thought of anything like that. He had already fingered himself too, but fingers are totally different from— You know. During heat, things would be easy, but he wasn’t in heat, so his body wasn’t expecting him to introduce anything there. It could hurt.

Well, but just the thought of trying was exciting. He was so _curious_.

A small part of his mind was still pushing the button of insecurities as well. What if he did something wrong? He wasn’t sure what to expect, maybe, if they had more time, he could research online or ask Kenma for help. Although he wasn’t sure if Kenma knew anything of that. He had never told him anything…

Friends talked about their first time, right?

At least, Hinata’s hadn’t even happened but he already wanted to text the blond and tell him a million things. Hinata was too emotional.

It didn’t help this time that the way home was super silent. Perhaps he could take his mind out of that if Kageyama talked with him, but the setter was dead silent sitting and glaring at the doors of the train as if the poor things had personally offended him.

Hinata would pull his cellphone from the pocket every two seconds to check the messages. There were some from Natsu from that morning.

> **[08h50]** **Natsu:** I CANT BELIEVE HE DID THAT >:OOOOOOO What an asshole, ru ok?????
> 
> **[08h50]** **Natsu:** I want to go there now n punch him
> 
> **[09h15]** **Natsu:** mom wont let me go :(((((((
> 
> **[11h49]** **Shouyou:** it’s fine now, we talked

Natsu would call him names once she read that. Probably. Most probably.

Then he opened his chat with Kenma. He now had a cute profile picture with Kuroo from Christmas. Damn, they were adorable. Would he and Kageyama take a cute picture on Christmas too?

Oh, yeah, now they could do all the sappy couple stuff! Or maybe courting. Man, he still couldn’t believe that Kageyama had been courting him, it was _so incredible_! _What the hell!_ He felt his face getting hot and excitement bubbling inside him again and did his best to restrain any happy sounds, peeking nervously at the setter.

Okay, screw this, he would message Kenma, Kenma was his friend, he had a moral duty to deal with his squeals.

> **[11h52]** **Shouyou:** KENMA
> 
> **[11h52]** **Shouyou:** U WONT BELIEVE
> 
> **[11h52]** **Shouyou:** WHAT HAPPENED
> 
> **[11h53]** **Kenma:** u and kageyama are dating?
> 
> **[11h53]** **Shouyou:** WHAT
> 
> **[11h53]** **Shouyou:** HOW DID YOU KNOW
> 
> **[11h55]** **Kenma:** he sent me like a thousand messages yesterday asking bout u. Thought you’d talk after u came back, Kuroo told me you2 were on a club. U didn’t pay your part of the bill btw
> 
> **[11h55]** **Shouyou:** what??? I payed!!!

Did he again? He couldn’t remember.

> **[11h55]** **Shouyou:** didn’t I?????
> 
> **[11h57]** **Kenma:** he said you didn’t. But well, what happened
> 
> **[11h58]** **Shouyou:** SO
> 
> **[11h58]** **Shouyou:** we re like dating now
> 
> **[11h58]** **Shouyou:** but it wasn’t yesterday, we had a fight yesterday, I even slept at Suga’s
> 
> **[11h58]** **Shouyou:** but we talked again today and I confessed and he accepted and now we’re dating. And he also said he dated Miya Atsumu in the past
> 
> **[11h59]** **Kenma:** oh so you have a love rival
> 
> **[11h59]** **Shouyou:** NO they are not a thing, he said he realized he likes me and aaaaaaaaaaaaaa
> 
> **[12h00]** **Kenma:** romantic, congrats :champagne_glass:
> 
> **[12h01]** **Shouyou:** thanks :champagne_glass: :boy_dancing:
> 
> **[12h01]** **Shouyou:** But theres something more
> 
> **[12h01]** **Shouyou:** he said he wanna sleep wwith me you know
> 
> **[12h03]** **Kenma:** Oh. ur nervous
> 
> **[12h04]** **Shouyou:** YEAH, I’M like melting here, I feel like I’ll catch fire WHAT SHOULD I DO
> 
> **[12h08]** **Kenma:** [image061401]
> 
> **[12h08]** **Kenma:** [image061402]
> 
> **[12h08]** **Kenma:** [image061403]
> 
> **[12h08]** **Kenma:** That

Hinata gasped loudly once he read the pervert memes. Kageyama looked at him suspiciously as he pressed the cellphone to the chest and smiled. Once he was distracted again, Shouyou pulled the phone away, checking the images and laughing.

> **[11h59]** **Shouyou:** ur the worst friend ever
> 
> **[12h00]** **Kenma:** you just have t relax

Okay, Hinata couldn’t deny it was true. It was supposed to be something good, he shouldn’t be so self-conscious. He was totally relaxed on the changing room when they started the whole thing, but the truth of what was going to happen made it even more unnerving, maybe it would’ve been best if he hadn’t known beforehand.

When they arrived on the station, he felt even more tense, telling himself he should just let it be. Shouyou was holding his baggage up as they climbed the stairs, then they left the train station and he put it down. Almost immediately when his left hand was free, he felt another one enveloping it.

Startling, he looked up at Kageyama. He had a frown and red cheeks, averting his gaze, which made Shouyou feel his face fuming hot again. Oh, he wanted to hold hands back home.

He nodded, although Kageyama couldn’t see him, and held his hand back. His fingers were warm again, since Tobio had kept his hands in the pockets during the whole train travel, so it felt nice, and his heart fluttered just with the small gesture. They were a couple now, right. He wouldn’t have to settle with just kisses on their apartment anymore.

Sighing, they started ahead.

He had walked holding hands with Satou on the past, but this was _Kageyama,_ you know. That was the hand that always tossed to him. The hand that always caressed his hair or his back along the years as they got closer.

Did Kageyama intend anything by those gestures on the past? Hinata hadn’t had other intentions, but it undoubtedly made him happy, warm and cozy. He could remember when Kageyama caressed his back after he broke up with Satou; when he held Shouyou after he fell trying to tell him about entering the U20; during the wedding, when they danced together, holding hands, waiting for more.

He really liked Kageyama. All this turmoil was so stupid. It would be okay now too, it would be nice, he would like it.

His thoughts were interrupted when Kageyama stopped walking, staring at his side. Confused, Shouyou looked at him with curiosity, recognizing the entrance of a drugstore over his shoulder.

“We… may need condoms? And lube?” Kageyama suggested. Shouyou felt his face getting hotter. Oh, it made sense, right.

“Yeah,” he agreed. Of course he didn’t have any with him (he could have, but he wasn’t expecting it, maybe he should start expecting it for now on, _damn_ , _why_ was he thinking like that?), and Kageyama seemed not to have as well.

They went inside and split to search for the items. Shouyou ended up finding the condom shelf first, which was… unexpected. It was tall and intimidating, as if it laughed of him, full of colorful packages that he really didn’t know anything about.

Why were there so many options? He scanned it quickly. _For alphas, betas and omegas, with flavor, for ruts, regular size, large size._ Different sizes? Different sizes, hm… Okay, Hinata had no idea which size to take, and just thinking of it made him feel hot again.

What could it look like?

He made a circle with his fingers, trying to imagine the size. He knew alphas were bigger than betas and omegas, but there was still a large range there. Well, considering Kageyama’s built, it was bound to be large? It would not be proportional if it was not.

He tried to imagine it as he looked down to his fingers, sexy, muscular, stupid Kageyama with a small… No, no.

He was trying to deduce Kageyama’s size. That was _insane_.

He pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling embarrassed. He should’ve waited outside and left it to Kageyama.

“Oh, there you are,” the setter said, startling him. He came from another aisle holding a small bottle of lube, which he gave to Hinata once he was closer, as if Hinata could want to check anything. Of course he knew as much about lube as he knew about condoms.

Kageyama looked at the shelf, reaching a hand for one of the alpha condoms.

“It already has lubricant, uh?” he murmured, pulling it closer and reading carefully. He eyed Hinata them, seeming to want to ask his opinion, but the omega just shook his head.

“It’s your thing, you know what is best,” he mumbled. Yeah, _your thing_ , real nice word choice.

“Well, and it’s your…” Kageyama started, but them he decided to stop as Shouyou looked at him in worry. He pouted, seeming unsure and a little bit embarrassed as a slight blush dusted his cheeks. “I’ve never bought that, but one of my friends said this brand is nice, so.”

“You talk about condom brands with your friends?” Hinata asked, frowning.

“Well, of course,” he agreed, shrugging and resuming to pick a smaller package and go to the cashier.

When they got back to the way home, Hinata pulled his baggage and left Kageyama to deal with the drugstore bag. He couldn’t help but get tense with the sounds of plastic reminding him of what was to come, hm…

Once they got to the apartment, the omega opened the door, and Kageyama followed him inside. It was exactly like yesterday. He fidgeted as he pulled his baggage to his room and stopped to take a change of clothes, then went back to the living room, where Kageyama was standing waiting for him

“Then,” he started, “I’ll go take a shower. When I’m finished, we…”

“Yeah,” the setter agreed, rubbing his sides. “And I’ll get blankets.”

That was a nice idea. Actually, that was a _perfect_ idea.

Maybe it was the omega speaking, Hinata wasn’t sure, but his instincts approved of it. Blankets, somewhere warm and soft and secure was everything he could ask for, especially after the last hours feeling terrible.

He went to the bathroom, taking his clothes off and shivering slightly as the cold air touched his bare skin. Damn spring, it was cold today, he thought, leaning closer to the vanity mirror and checking his face.

He seemed… tired? He still had the circles under his eyes, and the disheveled hair, but the aura around him felt lighter.

His migraine was also gone, although everything still hurt a little. He tried moving his arms, checking his appearance. His skin was pale like a statue, with some small orange hair growing here and there. He poked his belly, testing how soft it was. He didn’t have a six pack, but his stomach was firm, and his thighs were large, consequence of so many jumps.

Then he rubbed his sides. _Brr_ , it was better to go shower already, it would help.

And it did.

Hot water softened the tension on his muscles, relaxing him. He rubbed the skin, reminiscing the way it felt when Kageyama touched him, which added to his anxiousness to know what would happen next.

When he got out, he felt so much better, now with a nice flowery scent and smooth skin, not cold or strained anymore. He sighed after drying his hair, looking at the clothes he had fetched from the room in a hurry: gray pajama sweatpants and a white shirt.

It was simple and conventional, but, well…

Should he be wearing simple and conventional now?

What should he wear?

Hinata didn’t have sexy stuff. His wardrobe items were picked to be simple, easy to wash and without need of being ironed. There were not laced or tight clothes in there. Maybe he should have some of those? He did have one or two stylish shirts for the parties, but that’s it.

He would have to ask Kenma to help him buy new clothes, maybe? But, well, that was what he had for now, he concluded exasperated.

He put it on, feeling a little bit anxious. It was soft and smelled nice, soothing a little bit of his nervousness… Maybe Kageyama wouldn’t mind? He had not complained anytime in the past, but he wouldn’t go out praising Hinata’s good looks either, so maybe he didn’t care, it was a mystery. Shouyou breathed deeply as he decided to go out of the bathroom.

He found Kageyama on the couch.

Blue eyes went up to him the moment he stepped out of the corridor. He was sat in a pile of blankets, wearing pajamas and pouting with a blush to his cheeks.

Fluffy and comfortable and soft! It was _adorable_!

Shouyou went around the couch, and Kageyama got up, upsetting the perfect blanket nest he had built by taking one with him, which fell around his shoulders. He stood tall, stepping closer and towering over Shouyou with his charming pout. “You were fast,” he said, then he frowned, reaching a hand to Hinata’s neck. His fingers caressed there, causing the ginger to feel small goosebumps. “Your hair is damp, haven’t you dried it properly?”

“I did good enough,” he complained, flinching as Kageyama’s hand traveled upwards, reaching his ear, a sensitive spot. “You didn’t dry your hair properly earlier either. You had water here,” he accused, placing his palm against the alpha’s neck, close to the place where he knew one of the scent glands was located.

It was said to be an intimate place that people shouldn’t touch, which omegas and alphas would hide like a treasure. Well, of course, since they just have to bit each other there to create a bond — to attach yourself to someone until death do you part.

And _that_ , yes, was a very scary thing.

Kageyama grimaced, staring at him with intense blue eyes, and it was clear he knew where Hinata was touching. His fingers went down Shouyou’s jawline again, mirroring his touch on the omega’s neck, over Shouyou’s glands.

It sent shivers down his spine.

He could still remember the times they got close to it in the past, when he thought they would do it, but they didn’t. It was hot hands on his thighs, warm kisses on his neck, where he loved it, and his name on Kageyama’s lips. Nice, comfortable, nothing he didn’t want.

Tobio pursed his lips, seeming a little bit insecure with the silence, but he didn’t pull his hand back, and neither did Shouyou, as fingers burnt his skin like ember.

“Did you and Satou…” he started, leaving the sentence unfinished. Shouyou shook his head almost immediately, flustered.

“Not even close,” he answered earnestly. Then he asked with trembling lips: “You and Miya?”

“No,” the alpha confessed. His irises sparkled in shades of blue, framed by his furrowed eyebrows. “I-I guess we’ll have to learn everything.”

“We’ll manage,” Shouyou said, or so he hoped. He wanted to learn what it felt like, just thinking of it made warmth pool on his lower half and, of course, on his cheeks. Embarrassing, embarrassing, _geez_.

Kageyama’s hand slid from his neck, leaving behind the cold wind to Hinata’s wet skin (the damp hair felt like a blizzard), and he sat down, opening his arms in an invitation to his blanket kingdom. Shouyou just admired him for some seconds, thinking of what he should do. Instinct told him to straddle him and sit on his lap…

Was it very embarrassing? Yes. Did it sound very pleasing? Yes.

Well, wasn’t it the time to do stupid stuff?

Shouyou straddled his thighs, settling down on one of them and leaning closer, watching Kageyama’s reaction to see if he shouldn’t have done that.

Kageyama held him instantly, narrowing the distance between them. He just held his attention for a second, then he let his head fall on Shouyou’s shoulder, and his deep breathing sent goosebumps down Shouyou’s nape. His belly fluttered, and he fisted a hand on the warm sweatshirt the alpha was wearing.

“You smell nice,” Kageyama sentenced.

“It’s always the same soap,” he complained, holding back a laugh.

The alpha pulled slightly away and stared at him again. His eyes were so close that Hinata felt like he could count the small blue stars popping on his irises and calling him to discover more.

“You sure you wanna do that? If you don’t want to, we can wait,” Tobio whispered, and the words caressed Hinata’s nose, making this secret feel so real. Of course he was nervous and all, but Shouyou didn’t have a doubt about what he wanted to do.

“Yeah. You?” he asked. Tobio nodded once, the cheeks still adorably red.

They pressed their foreheads together, a little bit awkward, and silence lingered in air. Shouyou didn’t know how to start this, so he just kissed him. Brief, chapped, silent… He leaned back again, their breathes mingled in the air, warm and easy, before they dove in once more. It felt like electricity traveling around his skin, and Shouyou leaned the head to the side when Kageyama licked his lower lip, asking for more.

His blood was on fire as he responded on par with him. The skin felt sensitive while fingers traced his neck, then he flinched when a palm pressed to his lower back, touching the space between the shirt and his sweatpants.

This time Tobio’s fingers gathered the courage to slip under the cloth and explore the skin shielded from the cold air.

He was warm, and Shouyou shivered before he could even think. It felt good, exciting, and his skin bristled in anticipation while fingers drew a cobweb around, painting burning lines everywhere.

He traced Kageyama’s biceps in return, pressing the firm muscles. His thighs were large and muscular too, and Shouyou knew he had the beginning of a six pack. He was well-built for volleyball, but Hinata could think what else he could use his strength for right now.

Kageyama kissed down his neck, and Shouyou sighed when his hands ventured to the front, testing his belly. Just a little bit bellow and he would touch his crotch, which was getting hot and begging for attention.

His wandering thoughts were interrupted when Kageyama bit his neck. “ _Ouch_ ,” he complained, lifting one of his hands to grab a handful of ebony locks.

The setter let it go, seeming worried and looking up to Shouyou with hazed blue eyes. “Is it fine?” he asked.

“It hurts,” Hinata stated the obvious, but then Tobio’s breathing hit his skin, and he was taken over by the warmth yet again.

“Sorry, too strong…” he murmured, sounding worried; his lips were featherlike when he kissed his way upwards, close the scent gland, and Shouyou’s breathing stuttered in anticipation. He bit again, next to that place, and Shouyou shivered.

“That was nicer.”

“Hm,” he mumbled, licking the skin he had bit. “I’ll go on that then.”

Hinata was about to make fun of him, but then a hand finally reached his chest. He flinched again, taken by surprise, when fingertips touched a nipple. They stopped for a second, as if surprised too by the reaction they rendered, before circling the skin again.

It felt too damn nice.

Shouyou squirmed, leaning down and pressing his head to Kageyama’s neck. It was embarrassing, even more when Kageyama murmured soon after:

“So you like this?”

He pouted, midway between embarrassment and confusion. His body felt strange now that it was someone else touching him, the skin got hot and sensitive in a pleasing way that made him wish for more. “I can take it off,” he mumbled then, and Kageyama stopped again just to stare at him with raised eyebrows. Shouyou twitched his lips, holding his gaze. “The shirt, I mean.”

“Let me,” he asked so fast that it felt like he had been thinking of it for a while. Shouyou barely had time to say anything and he was already pulling it up. He disentangled himself from Kageyama, allowing him to pull it off, though it was a little bit clumsy, and throw it away.

Wet cold drops of water fell on his neck from the hair, startling Shouyou. His skin felt cold without the protection of his shirt, even more with his cheeks burning hot as he peeked at Kageyama.

His eyes were roaming around his chest, admiring him in silence. He had swollen lips, and the way his eyes seemed charcoal sent goosebumps down Shouyou’s spine. He had seen those eyes before sometimes, it was common during games, but they usually weren’t on him.

Hinata’s skin bristled from the cold and he felt an urge to hide himself. What could Kageyama be seeing there?

He didn’t hide, though, and Tobio’s eyes sparkled in curiosity as a hand surged forward to Shouyou’s skin, pressing with feather, delicate touches. He had already touched him under the shirt, but it still felt so different now that he was exposed. Hinata trembled, taken aback by the hot path he left with the fingertips.

Impatient, he leaned down and kissed the base of Tobio’s neck, feeling his skin bristling in response.

A hand found his nape, holding him in place, and the setter sighed so, so low that Hinata wouldn’t hear if he wasn’t so close.

His cock twitched in warmth and expectation. It was entrancing and foreign at the same time, Hinata thought, but he just gave in to curiosity and kissed again, a little bit upwards, closer to Kageyama’s ear, and he sighed, stretching his hold. Shouyou slipped on his lap, unbalanced, and Kageyama pressed the other hand to his thigh.

It was smooth, travelling around and risking the inner thigh, and Shouyou sighed. The stupid sweatpants were thick enough to get on the way, but it was still a firm presence slipping up and holding his ass.

Kageyama palmed a cheek, pressing slightly, like he wanted to check if it was soft, and Hinata closed his eyes, feeling warmth pooling on his lower abdomen. It was so close to his entrance, and Kageyama’s hand felt nice and big, well, of course, he had big hands, but Hinata hadn’t even thought much about it in the past. Big hands and strong arms to hold him, smooth shiny skin that Hinata wanted to kiss, Kageyama was attractive.

The alpha interrupted his thoughts and pulled him around, changing their positions and laying Hinata down on the couch in the blink of an eye.

Shouyou huffed in surprise, surrounded by fluffy blankets, and looked at him wide-eyed. “Hey! Let me know before you do something like that!”

He just snorted, kneeling between Hinata’s legs clearly on purpose. Not that Shouyou was about to complain, simply pulling his thighs apart and puffing his cheeks.

Kageyama let go of him for a second to sit up and pull his sweatshirt off. It was totally unfair how sexy he could do it considering that he was wearing stupid pajamas in their stupid usual living room, but his tanned skin seemed to shine and dare Shouyou to touch it as he got rid of the shirt, throwing it away.

He dived down, holding Hinata and kissing him again.

Shouyou gasped against his mouth, taken aback as he deepened the kiss. He put the hands on Kageyama’s back, slipping it to his sides; his skin was smooth, not a bit cold. Kageyama took that as a cue to slip down and between his thighs, pulling one up so that Hinata could enlace it to his hip.

When Shouyou did so, he was met with a surprise.

Tobio let go of his lips, pressing their foreheads together and sighing loudly. Shouyou felt his cock burning as it grinded with Kageyama’s bulge. His skin was burning lively, his throat squeezed as warmth spread around down there and it felt _good_.

Tobio was breathing heavily in front of him, grimacing, like he wanted something more. Blush had reached his neck by now, all flush and beautiful under the lights, and he looked down with the eyes fluttering in curiosity, grinding forward himself.

Shouyou closed his eyes, shaking his head and pulling the air in a stuttered rhythm. His cock twitched, encased inside the clothes, and Kageyama moved again, gasping in a low voice.

He felt as the alpha groped his ass, as if asking him for permission to slip under the pants, and, if he did ask, Shouyou would agree so easily that it would even be embarrassing.

“ _Shit,_ ” Kageyama murmured, it felt like it wasn’t meant for Shouyou to hear, but they were so close that he would have to be deaf not to understand. He licked the lips, taken by a sudden urge.

He wanted to touch him, get Kageyama melting against him, hot on his skin, calling his name and panting.

Hinata was _so_ curious. He would have to pull Kageyama’s pants down sometime, right? He reached a hand to it, touching the hem in a silent request for permission. Kageyama stiffened in the blink of an eye, surprised by the sudden initiative and looking down at him again. “You want to…”

“Can I?” Hinata asked in a low voice. The setter just twitched his lips, nodding and kissing down his collarbone.

Shouyou felt electricity on his fingers as he slipped a hand inside the sweatpants, pulling the underwear. He found it with such ease, hot and half hard, and flinched slightly at the feeling.

Kageyama whispered his name. Hinata held his breath then, hesitatingly testing the skin with his fingertips. He wasn’t sure about what he should do, so he went around every part of it to see what would render the best reaction. It was large, his hand couldn’t go around the hole girth. He had been wondering earlier what his size could be, it wasn’t exactly out of the range he had thought of, but still… large. He couldn’t stop his thoughts from imagining what it would be like to sit on something like that.

His skin bristled, Hinata knew what the answer would be.

Kageyama gasped after a while, and Shouyou startled. Wow, okay. Okay, he liked it. Hesitant, he held it and started to pump the length.

He was greeted with a moan and looked to his left, watching Tobio’s Adam’s apple moving as he panted and gulped. He nuzzled the alpha’s neck, and he leaned his head to the other side to give Hinata space to explore.

“Like that is good,” Kageyama incited with a deep voice when he tried to change the pace. Hinata granted his wish, getting more confident.

He felt Kageyama’s fingers dragging against his skin as the alpha breathed deeply. His right hand trailed a hot path around Hinata’s hip and hovered over his covered cock before touching over the pants.

“I want to,” Tobio said, and, true to his thoughts, Hinata hummed his embarrassed approval in top speed.

He felt when the hem of his pants was lifted, then gasped when warm fingers took a hold of his length, rubbing it.

That felt strange, streaks of warmth traveled around his length just with his touches. It was so different from touching himself, and his legs trembled while Kageyama’s fingers explored slowly.

Kageyama was _touching_ him. As in, holding him with the same hands he used to set. That is so stupid, man, but it made something warm bubble inside Shouyou with his teasing light touches. He leaned his head back against the blankets, almost blurting an impatient moan when he started moving his hand.

At first, he felt slightly uncomfortable and self-conscious, stiffening with his movements and trying to concentrate on his rhythm on Kageyama’s cock, but the fire on his belly slowly broadened, throwing his worries out of the metaphorical window.

He had never done that before with anyone and he could only think about why it had taken them so damn _long_. ~~~~

“Is it fine?” Kageyama asked, and his voice took the omega back to Earth.

“Do you really have to ask? Pervyama,” Hinata told him. Kageyama clicked his tongue and increased the pace just to make him roll his head at the increasing pleasure.

“I’m serious, ‘s not like I’ve done it before, I wanna know it’s okay,” he insisted and changed the angle of his hold. Hinata thought up a thousand stupid answers he could throw at him, but he busied himself with a low moan.

“I could say, if you go on like that, we may not be able to go all the way,” he warned, as the pleasure overrode him. He wasn’t so sure if he could cum twice so quickly even if Kageyama wanted to continue, he would be too overstimulated for something more.

Kageyama’s hand stopped very slowly after he said that. It was frustrating, Hinata thought, groaning and stopping as well. The alpha looked down at him with a pout.

“You wanna go all the way, right?” he asked, and his voice wavered with doubt. “Cause we can just go on like that.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Shouyou complained, shaking his head again as embarrassment washed over him. He was thinking of riding his cock just some moments ago. He really didn’t want to say it out loud though, it was so embarrassing, they weren’t on a porn movie. “Of course I wanna go all the way, why else would we buy condoms?”

Kageyama just twitched his lips, seeming not to know what to say. The hand he had over Hinata’s length, unmoving and torturous, slowly pulled away, slipping out of his pants. Shouyou blinked, mirroring his actions.

“Tell me if you dislike anything,” he demanded then, placing both hands on his hips and putting distance between their crotches to slip down. He kissed Hinata’s bellybutton, and the omega flinched, taken aback.

The kisses continued downwards, proceeding with caution. His entrance couldn’t agree more to the idea of getting things done, but he still gasped when the alpha pulled his sweatpants and underwear down. The chilly air hit his cock, which stood tall, and Shouyou grimaced overwhelmed by mixed sensations. He felt exposed, now fully naked nested between the blankets.

His heart was beating too fast, he would die, surely.

Kageyama held his thighs then, maneuvering him carefully to get the clothes out. His hands burnt the skin as he did so, and the first thing he did after throwing the clothes away was lean down and press his lips to Hinata’s inner thigh.

Hinata squirmed. A hand found his cock, touching again. Another kiss, and another, trailing a path closer to his ass, and the waiting was making him burn inside out. Kageyama took his time traveling around, sucking on the skin, biting lightly and moving his hand slowly. What did he intend to do exactly? He was getting close to dangerous places.

His answer came on the form of a kiss on his ass and a whispered, embarrassed question: “Can I?”

His brains cogs took in what he meant once his soft breathing hit that place and Hinata felt the heart on his throat. “If you want to…”

Instead of an agreement, he got the foreign feeling of wet strokes against his entrance.

He got paralyzed, taking in the new feeling of hot lips pressing there, of something slowly going inside while fingers rubbed his length. It was shallow, but so hot and slippery touching just in the right place, and Hinata really didn’t have a word to describe it but numbing (mesmerizing).

He barely registered he was panting, stuttering his breathing in the same rhythm as Kageyama worked on him. The only sounds he could hear now were the wet squishes that the alpha was making going in and out; Hinata was completely blind, so aroused that it hurt. All his senses concentrated on the pleasure pooling on his belly, on the imprint of Kageyama’s touches everywhere.

He reached a hand to Kageyama’s head without his permission, holding the silky black locks. Hinata loved his hair, soft under his fingers. It seemed to bring him back to reality while the alpha rendered him speechless; it was getting hotter and hotter, and Hinata was skyrocketing. It felt amazing, but he knew something was missing.

“Kageyama,” he whispered, fighting against the overwhelming feelings that had taken his voice from him, “I want you.”

Tobio gasped and the perfect pressure against his entrance disappeared. He looked down, watching the alpha with his chin and lips glinting wet and the hair sticking everywhere since Shouyou had let his hand go through it. He couldn’t produce slick when he wasn’t in heat, but it was better not to think of Kageyama between his legs with their scents in the air. It was too enticing.

The alpha just stared at him, seeming to get what he wanted. He pulled one of Hinata’s legs closer with a hand, kissing the inner thigh gently before slipping away and getting up. Hinata whined almost immediately.

“Where are you going?” he inquired, tempted to stand up and go after him. His legs felt like jelly though, he would probably fall face-first.

He could hear plastic sounds, then Kageyama got back on his vision field holding the condom package and bottle of lube. He held Hinata’s embarrassed gaze, pouting. “We’ll need that, right?”

“Oh, right, forgot that part,” Shouyou blurted, following him with the gaze as the setter threw the condom package on the blankets and kneeled between Hinata’s thighs again, uncapping the bottle. Shouyou was about to ask who of them should do it, but he just poured the lube on his fingers, pressing them to spread it, then his eyes met Hinata’s again.

After years playing together, Shouyou was very much aware of his long fingers.

“I’ll begin then,” Kageyama let him know. Shouyou bit his lower lip, nodding.

It started with a small pressure to his entrance, soft touches circling it and making him want to complain. Then he felt it slipping inside very slowly. It was only one finger, he didn’t feel anything bad, but anything good neither, just a strange presence. Kageyama started moving, trying different angles and force.

Soon he found a place that felt good. He could say it was on the right path, though just small pleasure, it felt like something was missing somehow.

“Does it feel good?” Tobio asked after a while, eyeing him with curiosity. Hinata twitched his lips, there he was, asking him to say embarrassing stuff again.

“Doesn’t feel bad,” he retorted in the end. “You can… go on, you know.”

“Hm. I’ll add another one then,” Kageyama pondered, pulling his finger out. Shouyou could feel him circling his skin again, then he pulled the fingers in again. He nodded to the alpha, who started moving his hand, in and out. Okay, it _did_ feel better. It was like he could touch more with two fingers, and the added pressure made it more pleasing.

Shouyou was panting when Kageyama pulled in three fingers. It didn’t slide in as easily as the other two.

“Wait, wait,” he asked, grimacing. Kageyama stopped immediately, seeming worried about hurting him, but it wasn’t painful — surprisingly. Shouyou adjusted his position, spreading his legs more. “Try again now.”

“Does it hurt?” Kageyama asked, moving his hand again. Now it slipped easier, and Shouyou sighed as he felt the pressure on his entrance.

“No,” he retorted, too entranced to feel embarrassed about it. “You can go faster.”

He complied, and his fingers went in and out a lot faster, easing the way with lube. Shouyou panted every time he pushed everything in, hitting his entrance with the knuckles. It felt good, but still something missing. Or so he thought, until Kageyama changed the direction again and hit that place.

It felt like a star popping inside him. He whined so hard that, when he opened his eyelids again, Kageyama was looking at him with wide blue eyes. Embarrassed, Shouyou covered his face with the hands. “Maybe we can do it now.”

“Did I find a good spot?” the alpha asked, ignoring him. The omega just grumbled whatever, then he continued moving his fingers until he found it again, and Shouyou writhed on the couch, feeling lube sliding down his ass.

Tobio pulled his fingers out, and Shouyou squirmed, putting his hands down to look at him. He seemed dazed, sparkling with a little bit of sweat on the forehead, a dangerous glint on the irises and a serious demeanor.

The alpha stared at him for some seconds, then he got up. Shouyou was almost asking him what he was doing, but then he pulled his pants down, and that’s exactly when it registered to Shouyou that he wasn’t fully naked yet.

The bulge was gone when he striped his underwear, and his cock slid free, standing tall. Shouyou widened his eyes, feeling like an idiot for being surprised. Of course, he had just touched him, he knew what his size would be, but it felt different just touching and _seeing_. And it would probably feel different to when it was going inside.

Fingers didn’t hurt, but he wasn’t so sure about something like that.

Kageyama cleaned his throat, and Shouyou looked up at him, watching the red that still stained his cheeks and the usual pout. He took the condom package, trying to tear it with his lubed fingers, which seemed to be a little bit difficult. Shouyou just watched his fingers slipping around the plastic.

“Why don’t you tear it with your teeth? They do it all the time in porn,” he suggested, trying to make fun of him, but the truth was that his heart was beating fast just watching him.

Kageyama frowned. “Don’t be stupid, I could damage it.”

“Here, give it to me,” he asked, sitting up and reaching a hand. Kageyama looked to his palm, considering him for a second, like he was suspicious of him. In the end, he gave it over, and Shouyou pulled it closer, holding the sides. “You got it all slippery, Bakayama.”

Since his fingers weren’t coated on lube like Kageyama’s, he managed to open it. He laughed triumphantly, pulled the condom from inside and looked at it. It’s not like he had never seen a condom before, but he had never used one. He peered at Kageyama, who seemed to be waiting for him to do something.

“I’ll put it on for you,” he proposed then. That made the alpha frown, taken aback. Shouyou would’ve laughed of him, if he didn’t feel so flustered.

“You sure you wanna do that?” Kageyama questioned, but he did kneel on the couch again anyways. Shouyou waved a hand for him to lean to the side so that he didn’t cast shadows down and he could see better.

“Just said so.”

He pulled the rubber ring, stretching it, and pulled it through the tip, earning a small pant from Kageyama. Eyeing him for a second, Hinata looked back down and continued pulling it through the length, noticing how it felt slippery on his fingers. It had lube, like Kageyama had mentioned before, right.

Somehow, he had never pictured himself putting a condom on someone else, so it felt new. He finished, pulling his hands away and watching as the alpha twitched his lips. One of his hands found Hinata’s thigh, pulling again and making him fall back on the coach. Shouyou was about to complain when he said: “You can still give up now if you’d like.”

“How many times do I have to say I wanna do this?” he hissed back, frowning. Okay, he was nervous, but he wanted to try, and he had said that already. “Or maybe you don’t want to?”

“I want to. I’m just making sure, it’s all so sudden,” Kageyama explained in a low voice. His hand caressed Shouyou’s thigh, a mix of hot and comforting at the same time. “We were on bad terms just a couple of hours ago.”

“I get your point, but it’s fine now,” Hinata said back.

Kageyama shook his head and Hinata felt goosebumps when he held his hips, pulling him up to align the cock with his entrance. He gulped for a second, feeling the hot tip touching his skin. Kageyama seemed concentrated as he started to penetrate.

Shouyou stopped paying attention to anything else but the feeling of being stretched. It felt different from fingers, larger, and it stung a bit as it slipped inside. He closed his eyes, frowning, taken over by the overwhelming feeling as Kageyama went inside.

“Are you okay?” He registered Kageyama’s words, opening his eyes to peek at him. He setter remained kneeling on the coach, too far away for Hinata’s taste. He reached his hands to him and he complied, leaning down so that Hinata could hold his bare shoulders.

“Are you all the way in?” he asked in return, grimacing as it moved while Kageyama got closer. He nodded once, clearly waiting for an answer to his own question. “It stings, gimme a second. But it’s not as bad as I imagined.”

“You expected it to hurt a lot?” the alpha continued.

“It’s okay. It will stop, just a second,” he repeated, and Kageyama stopped talking altogether. His eyes didn’t leave Hinata’s, though, dark and big as he casted shadows on the ginger. He had pink skin, pouting lips and a slight frown, just like every day, it was sweet in its own way. Shouyou felt like his heart was so full just watching the way he breathed, the way he was looking at him, like Shouyou was the only human being in the entire world. Damn, he was _so_ falling for him.

They remained still as their hot breathes mingled in the air, entranced and connected. Everything felt better, the pain was easing until it was forgotten, replaced with arousal yet again. Shouyou moved tentatively, and Kageyama froze.

It didn’t hurt this time, just a little bit of discomfort. The pressure was so bigger compared to fingers.

Breathing deeply, he strengthened his hold on Kageyama’s shoulders.

“You can move now,” he informed, watching as the alpha raised his eyebrows. “But start slowly.”

“Okay.”

He seemed nervous as he pulled out, then thrust inside again. Hinata bit his lower lip, it still felt a little bit strange, maybe his body had to get used to it. Kageyama seemed to like it, if the long sigh he let out was any clue. His eyes didn’t leave Hinata’s as he continued in a slow pace, and it slid just fine. Both were adjusting, and Hinata cupped one of his cheeks, feeling how hot his skin was.

Kageyama leaned his head down against his hand, the same way he had done that time Hinata entered his room when he was in a rut, a couple of years ago. He had the same intense dark eyes and blushing cheeks, hot puffs of air left his lips and dared to touch Hinata’s, but he was too far for that.

That other time, all Shouyou had wanted was not to let him go. Woody scent had touched his skin, going through his system, and his hands had been hot, almost feverish. Shouyou had wished to bring him closer.

Now he could. Right, now he could.

He pulled Kageyama down, disrupting his pace. Their foreheads touched, and the alpha readjusted. They stared, Kageyama resumed thrusting, and Hinata closed his eyes, kissing him.

A kiss turned into so many he couldn’t keep count, then on kisses down his jawline. The slow pace increased while he was distracted, but he couldn’t even keep track of it, he just knew that, once Kageyama was moving faster and freely, it started to feel so good he couldn’t even concentrate on anything. They fit, then they pulled away, the perfect mix that filled the living room with squelches and sex scent. In and out and in and out.

It was totally different from trying anything himself, it felt so much better; Kageyama was big, it was like he could rub everywhere, touching pleasure points that Shouyou had never found before. He was moaning in a low voice, breathing so fast against Shouyou’s collarbone.

Hands were holding his thighs, keeping them apart as he thrust inside, hitting his pelvis to Shouyou with increased strength. It was straining, but felt _so_ good. He felt goosebumps everywhere and hot pleasure on his lower half, and it felt just natural to reach a hand to his cock and rub it.

That had been an incredible idea.

Shouyou sighed loudly, truly overwhelmed, and Kageyama sighed in response.

“That’s totally…” he started, but Shouyou interrupted him in top speed:

“Don’t say anything embarrassing!”

“It’s not embarrassing,” he retorted, that usual vexed voice he had anytime he was told off. His voice was uneven, though, stuttered between heavy breathes. “You’re amazing.”

Shouyou wanted to complain, but he was too distracted.

He wasn’t sure of how much time passed. All he knew was that he wouldn’t seem to regain his breath, and that sweat trickled down Kageyama’s skin. He didn’t feel cold anymore, screw the spring weather, he was almost turning into a volcano. each in and out made him feel better, he was drowning.

He nuzzled Kageyama’s neck in the place where his scent glands were, the place from which his amazing smell should be coming from, though it wasn’t. One day, if they shared a heat or a rut, he would feel it, and just the thought got arousal traveling around his skin.

“Are you close?” the alpha pulled the words out, and he sounded almost like he was suffering. Shouyou just nodded. It felt all too soon, too overwhelming and good.

“I am too,” he confessed, his lips brushing Shouyou’s skin as he spoke. The omega felt his cheeks flaring hot, kissing Kageyama’s neck again.

Kageyama stopped for a second. He slid his lips on Hinata’s neck, changed his angle, and started moving in the fastest pace Hinata had ever seen.

He saw stars behind his eyelids, the stomach fluttering, everything feeling so hot, and his muscles prepared in anticipation for the climax. He was still building in the feelings when it hit him, almost too soon.

It felt like an explosion, filling his body with flaring hot spasms and his mind was blank for some seconds.

He could just register Kageyama still moving as he slowly came back to his senses, breathless. It was over and he could still feel the ghosts of pleasure on his skin.

“I still…” Kageyama murmured, and Hinata nodded against his neck, caressing his hair. He didn’t stop his pace, although it felt different now that Shouyou was over. He was so hard inside Hinata, hotter than ever. Hinata slowly got away from his neck, looking up to his face, and his thoughts were clearer now. ~~~~

The setter’s brows were furrowed, his lips twitching and parting to let strangled breathes in and out. His eyes were almost entirely black with the pupils dilated. His face was hot with pleasure, and Hinata looked deep in those blue eyes, searching for the cobalt under all the black, and watching him wincing.

Hinata couldn’t help but admire him as he sighed with each thrust.

His rhythm got uneven, and Shouyou knew he was close. He kissed just over his scent gland in an outburst of courage, Tobio’s body squirmed as he came, and Shouyou felt the cock vibrating inside him. He continued moving, riding his orgasm, and Hinata hugged his neck, waiting for him to come back.

His muscles trembled under Shouyou’s hands, taken over by spasms, and he blurted some incoherent noises, slowly calming down.

They kept like that, silent, linked, both regaining their breaths. Hinata wondered if Kageyama could hear his heartbeats, or the way his mind was trying to keep track of everything they had done.

After one minute, Tobio pulled away delicately, looking down to Shouyou. He was a total mess, and Hinata was scared of checking a mirror to see his own state. There probably was cum all over his belly, and he could feel the lube slipping from his entrance as Kageyama slid out. Shouyou couldn’t hold in a last sigh as he felt too empty. A hand found his cheek, and, before he could say anything, a mouth met his.

It was tender and sweet, gentle against his lips, and tasted of adoration, of a place to belong to and of a person to call his own.

“Thank you _,_ ” was all Kageyama said when they parted, touching his forehead to Hinata’s. His voice was filled with feelings that made things twist inside him.

They stayed like that for some seconds, drowning in each other’s feelings. Hinata felt his chest so full. They had just finished, but it seemed to take him all over, there wasn’t space for anything else on his heart but Kageyama Tobio and how much he wanted to stay with him forever.

The alpha averted his gaze to Hinata’s sticky stomach then, ruining the moment as he pursed his lips:

“And we have to shower again. Now.”

The omega snorted fondly.

“I was waiting for you to say that.”

Kageyama clicked his tongue to him, getting up. He seemed sore, groaning lowly and pulling the condom out. Hinata sat down to watch him and flinched, feeling all wet and uncomfortable, and his entrance stung a little, almost lecturing him about being careful.

If he wasn’t already red all over, he would’ve blushed thinking of what it felt like, seconds ago, to have Kageyama inside him.

Hot, grumpy, sculptured Kageyama with his perfect hair and pretty eyes… He gulped, wondering when they would do something more, then a song started to play from afar. Kageyama frowned, looking down to him. “Isn’t that your phone?” he asked.

Hinata mirrored his frown. “I think so?”

He meant to get up, but his legs and ass didn’t agree upon that and he crouched down beside the couch, groaning. Kageyama looked to him in alarm, turning around and announcing he would get it for Hinata instead.

Maybe they should’ve searched about aftercare. Kageyama appeared back, still in all his naked glory, and handed the phone to Shouyou. “It says it’s Sugawara-senpai,” he announced.

Suga? Why would Suga…

Hinata picked it up, greeting the beta, and was met with a worried shout: “ _Hinata!_ You said you’d be back shortly, it’s been _hours_ , are you okay?”

“Ah, hm, well, yeah,” he said back, looking up to Kageyama. “I talked to Kageyama, and we’re back on terms now. Sorry, we just got distracted and I forgot to tell you.”

“Oh,” Suga blurted on the other side, then his voice changed completely. “Distracted, uh?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking.” Except that it probably was what he was thinking, but Hinata wasn’t about to admit it, of course.

“Well, if you’re fine, then you can come over and get your backpack back. You left it here,” Suga prompted, and there was a laugh in his voice. Shouyou wished he could have a deadpan voice like Kageyama’s now. Damn it.

“I’ll go tomorrow,” he said back, and this time Suga laughed loudly.

“Whatever you say,” he teased. “But I’m happy you sorted things out. Did you two talk about everything properly?”

“Yeah. He told me what bothered him, we’ll work on that.” Hinata sighed again, melting inside. A hand found his shoulder, warm, and he noticed now how cold it was once they were finished. He looked up to Kageyama again, who had a smile plastered on his face and red marks on his neck. Oh, he would _so_ kill Shouyou once he saw that.

Hinata nodded once, as if Suga could see him, and finished: “Everything will be fine now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there UAHSUAHUAHSU
> 
> I'm so ashamed, I don't know what to say UAHUSHAUSH. I wrote it thinking the whole time that I shouldn't write smut anymore because I'm terrible, but of course I'll step back on that and write some Ushihina before I die. I hope you'e enjoyed it and found it reasonable.
> 
> Dunno what to say UAHUSHAUS I've written smut before, but they were all horrible and it's my first time posting one, so I just feel so awkward right now UAHSUAHSU. It was fun to write though. I wrote this chapter from scratch, and the next ones will be like that as well. I've decided this last week to change the topics of the second part of the story, so it will be a lot of work, but we can do it! It will continue to take me a while to update, but I'm sure you can be patient, you're all such angels <3333
> 
> So we're halfway done! \o/ Next half of the story will be a lot easier, slice of life and fluff everywhere. I'm still planing everything, I hope you guys like it :)) There will be mpreg and other shipps and some more screentime to Hinata's career. I'm considering writing another wedding too, let's see what happens.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. We've reached 400 kudos last chapter, and now we're past 480 and I still can't believe ;-; Thank you all so much for reading and showing interest in this story, I'm so happy!!!! See you soon!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> All in all, it's omegaverse, so, if you have any questions about what it is, feel free to ask. English is not my mother language, so I'll apologize in advance for anything wrong you may find here in the future. I plan to update it every two weeks, so I hope I'll see you guys soon :)
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you've enjoyed it.


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